


The Exception

by Mado_Typo



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Banter, Blow Jobs, Breeding Kink, Canon Compliant, Dialogue Heavy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Nudity, Outdoor Sex, Past Relationship(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Secrets, Self-Harm, Semi-Public Sex, Slow Burn, Smut, Suicide Attempt, Tension, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, i think, soulmate AU with a twist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:48:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 111,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25795387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mado_Typo/pseuds/Mado_Typo
Summary: Aurora just wanted to leave. She wanted to be done with the strange world she had come to be all too familiar with but her plans were cut short when a bespectacled man knocked on her door one stormy night.Now, due to an oath she had sworn to King Regis, she must travel with four young men and keep the young prince safe while also trying to keep her secrets from being known.Keeping those secrets becomes harder and harder the closer she gets to the boys.
Relationships: Ignis Scientia/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 44
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, thanks for being here.
> 
> I'll add more tags as the story goes.  
> Also, I like to write dialogue heavy stories. I'm sorry if you're not a fan of that.
> 
> *WARNING*  
> This chapter contains a suicide attempt

A letter. Aurora had always been terrible at writing anything profound. As she sat in her chair staring at a blank piece of stationary, she cursed herself for not at least having a thesaurus in the house. It was a rustic kind of stationary, made to look aged and worn but had that new paper feel and smell. She paid an embarrassing amount of money on something so new that was meant to look old. 

She breathed deeply before taking her pen in hand and started writing.

_ To whom it may concern _

“Nope.” She threw the paper away and got a new one. “Off to a great start.”

_ To my family _

Better, but not great. Aurora groaned as she threw away the second of soon to be many expensive papers to litter the floor of her tiny wood cabin. The room was dimly lit with a few tiny lamps and a candle that sat on her kitchen island, where she set up to write. She let the sound of rain from outside calm her thoughts as her writing continued to improve with each draft, each time staring at a few tiny pill bottles that sat next to her candle.  _ Soon _ , she thought.

With her last draft finally done nearly an hour later, Aurora sighed with content and hopped off of the chair to stretch. “Time for a bath!” She hummed and walked into her stone tile bathroom. Her tub was massive. She had saved up to renovate the bathroom for years and it was well worth the money. Whenever she had a stressful day her expensive tub could always make it better. She turned the taps on, mixing some oils and epsom salts into the running water, and lit a couple candles to set the mood. 

While the tub was slowly filling, Aurora padded her way back into the kitchen to fetch a large glass of wine. As she poured her glass, she turned back to the island and took one of the pill bottles. Sleeping pills. She popped the cap off and downed a couple into her mouth, chasing it with her wine. “I’ll be back for you later,” she said to the other two bottles. “But before I do that, it’s mushroom time.” 

Aurora opened her stove to reveal a small bowl of pan fried mushrooms and veggies she had made earlier. Seasoned to perfection and cooked using an ungodly amount of butter, just the way she liked them. She took her first bite and sighed with content. 

This was a good night.

_ A good way to go. _

Once she finished her meal, Aurora took the second bottle of pills and downed maybe a few too many. She chased the pills with more wine and made her way into the bathroom to turn off the taps. “Bath time!” She smiled, throwing a handful of rose petals into the hot water. She ran back into the kitchen to grab the last bottle of pills but was stopped when a loud and almost desperate banging at the door nearly shook the whole cabin. 

“Who the hell is out so late?” She groaned before peeking her head up to the small window on the door. There was a silhouette of what looked to be a man standing at her door. She sighed before opening it, “What are you doing out so late? There’s deamons and--” Aurora stopped mid sentence once she saw the state of the man in front of her. Dark blonde hair disheveled and obscuring his eyes, glasses muddied and sliding halfway down his nose, button down shirt full of dirt and blood.

“Varin?” She gasped.

“Please,” was all he said before passing out and falling into Aurora. 

“Ow, fuck. Hey, hey, hey, wake up, buddy!” Aurora shifted the man’s weight to comfortably hold him. Well, as comfortable as it could be to hold a six foot mass of dead weight. A strange warmth flowed through her body but she chose to ignore it due to the circumstances. She dragged the man into her cabin, his muddied shoes leaving marks on her wood floors. She threw him onto her bed and flipped him over so he was laying on his back. His breathing was shallow and he started to shiver. “Poisoned,” Aurora mumbled. She groaned loudly as she turned on her heel and made her way to the bathroom. “Fuuuuck, why’d this have to happen  _ today _ of all days? Couldn’t he have come tomorrow when it wouldn’t be my problem?”

Aurora opened the cabinet behind her bathroom mirror and pulled out an antidote. She felt a sudden wave of drowsiness, her body relaxing at a very quick pace. She looked at herself in the mirror and grimaced at the thought of what she had to do next. She grabbed a hair tie and attempted to tie her hair in a bun, which was hard to do with a messy mane of loose curls and a slew of braids decorated with silver clasps and feathers. Once she managed to get her hair out of her face, she breathed in deeply before doing what she dreaded, and stuck a couple fingers down her throat. 

Immediately, her gag reflex kicked in and she threw up in the sink, all the while crying about how gross it was. She could see all the pills she had swallowed earlier fall down the drain, along with the squishy remnants of her meal. Just to make sure, she made herself throw up a few more times. “Uhg, I hate this,” she spit out the bile in her mouth. Her esophagus was burning. She turned on the tap to clean the sink of her insides and wash out her mouth before grabbing the antidote and returning to the bedroom, where the man was still dying. “You’re lucky I have morals or I'd have left you dying on my doorstep,” Aurora mumbled before crushing the bottle in her hands and letting the essence seep into the man’s skin. “I’m gonna be so pissed if you die.”

The stranger’s clothing was very wet so Aurora began to undress him. She fumbled with the multitude of buttons as she grumbled, “What kind of hunter wears a button down like this?” Once she finally managed to peel the wet shirt off of him she took a look at the potential damages to his skin. Besides a few scrapes and bruises, he seemed perfectly fine on the outside so the blood on his shirt was probably not his. Next were his shoes and pants. 

It took her an embarrassingly long time to actually get his pants off. Since they were wet and sticking to his skin, they weren’t wanting to come off easily. When she actually managed to get his pants off, Aurora ended up being propelled to the other side of the room because of how hard she was pulling at them. “Ow,” she rubbed the back of her head that made contact with the wall. “Man, I don’t care how cute he is. This is not worth it.” She picked herself up and brought his clothes into the bathroom. She sighed at the sight of her bath that was probably cold by then and placed the clothes in the washer.

Another sigh. What a terrible way to end a night that was supposed to be perfect.

  
  


Aurora woke the next morning in the chair she had stationed beside the bed to keep an eye on the stranger. Her body had absorbed enough of the sleeping pills to give her a good night’s rest even in a sitting position. She yawned as she turned her attention to the stranger in her bed. His breathing was back to normal but he still didn’t look too great. His body still muddied, something Aurora didn’t want to deal with cleaning in her bitter mood the night before. 

Folding her arms across her chest, Aurora got up from her chair and sauntered into the kitchen to get a washcloth. She turned the tap on to warm up as she searched the kitchen for a clean cloth. Her eyes kept darting over to the letter she wrote the night before. Like it was taunting her. 

_ What are you still doing here? _

She sighed and slipped the paper into a drawer to forget about it for the time being, grabbing a clean washcloth in the process and ran it under the hot water of the still running tap.

The bed groaned under her weight as Aurora sat down and began gently wiping the mud from the man’s face. A small moan escaped the man’s lips as he stirred. “At least I know you’re alive,” Aurora mumbled, feeling his forehead. It was very warm. She shook him lightly. The feeling of her hand on his bare skin sent another tingling feeling up her spine, more prominent than the first. She ignored it once again, “Hey Mister, can you hear me?...Varin, is that you?”

The man groaned but otherwise didn’t do anything to let her know he could hear her. Aurora exhaled through her nose and kept cleaning the mud from the man’s face. 

A defeated sigh escaped her lips.

_ No. It can’t be him. _

_ Don’t get your hopes up. _

  
  


A few hours of nothing go by before the man begins to stir again. Aurora is immediately at his side, “Hey, can you hear me?” she asked in a soft tone. The man’s eyes flutter open and two sets of jade green eyes stare at each other, unsure of what to say. Aurora waited for the man to say something as his eyes adjusted to the light of the room. When the man failed to utter a single word, she spoke again, “What’s your name?”

The man grimaced as he shifted his aching body on the bed, now covered in a fluffy blanket so he could keep warm while his clothes had been washed. “Ignis Scientia,” he stated in a raspy voice. Aurora hummed in acknowledgement of the name but couldn’t help her disappointment when he wasn’t who she had hoped. She had heard his name somewhere before when she would visit the Crown City but couldn’t remember the context; it had been so long since she was last in the city. He spoke again, bringing her back to reality: “And you are?”

Oh right, she hadn’t told him her name yet. “My name is Aurora Denond,” she said as she placed her hand on his forehead. “How are you feeling, Ignis?”

“Dreadful,” Ignis groaned and tried to sit up. It was a failed attempt as his head flopped back onto the pillow. 

“Rest. I’ll get you some water and an elixir.” Aurora stood up from the bed and made her way to the kitchen. Upon her return, she found Ignis trying to get out of bed. “Hey, hey, I told you to rest. Get back in bed.”

“Where are my clothes?” He questioned while taking the glass of water Aurora offered. “I distinctly remember having clothes on when I arrived.”

“I took them off to wash them. They’re dry and folded in the bathroom.” Aurora sat down on her chair across from where Ignis sat on the bed. “So, why is it that you arrived at my doorstep last night?”

Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose, as if in pain, “I can’t recall the details.”

“You can’t remember why you’re here but you  _ distinctly _ remember having clothes on?” Aurora challenged, raising a brow. Ignis gave her an unamused look before crushing the elixir in his hand and letting it heal him. “Better?”

“I thank you for your kindness but I must take my leave,” Ignis tried to get up off of the bed but nearly fell into Aurora again.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Aurora pushed him back onto the bed with surprising strength. “You’re not leaving until you’re better. You still have a fever and no amount of elixirs are going to fix that. Just take a load off and get better. I’ll make you something to eat.”

Aurora began making the food, chopping vegetables while her mind wandered. Who was Ignis Scientia and why was his name so familiar? Was he a hunter? No, he was dressed too nicely to be a hunter.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. One thing was for sure.

“It’s not him,” she clutched her chest, “then why do I feel so...” With a shaky breath, she wiped the tears off her cheeks and continued chopping veggies.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guess Ignis isn't used to being sick lol

_ Flashback _

“Son,” The King interjected as his son Noctis was making his way to the car. Noctis and his friends turned their attention back to the King. “A piece of advice before you go.”

“Hm?” Noctis stuffed his hands into his pockets.

“Should any of you find yourself to be in trouble, I have an old friend who lives near Alstor Slough in Duscae. An incredible healer. Probably the best I’ve ever known.” There was a short pause, as if King Regis was trying to choose his words carefully. “She’s a bit brash but means well. She’s been hurt but will stop at nothing to keep others safe. Should she know that you’re my son, I’m sure she will do anything and everything she can for all of you.”

“What’s the name of this woman?” Ignis inquired.

“Aurora. Aurora Denond,” the King smiled thoughtfully. “Should you find her, please give her my regards.”

“We will.”

  
  


A crack of thunder. A daemon attack. Poison. How could he possibly have been separated from the group? 

That hardly mattered at the moment. What did matter was finding shelter and someone to help. What was the name of that woman? The one King Regis mentioned. She lived close. He just had to find her. She could help.

A faint light in the distance. A house. 

Muffled yelling. Footsteps.

“Varin?”

_ Please _

  
  


_ End flashback _

  
  


Ignis awoke to the sound of music. A stringed instrument. A harp maybe? His eyes opened slowly to see the silhouette of a woman sitting on the chair across from the bed. As his eyes adjusted, he could see Aurora lightly plucking away at what looked to be an old wooden lyre. The warm glow of the lamp on the nightstand made the silver jewelry woven into the small braids littering her hair sparkle and shine. Her fingers danced across the strings of the lyre, the melody rejuvenating Ignis as he sat up. He was feeling much better than he had been a few hours prior. 

“You’re awake,” Aurora commented, her melody continuing. “I made you some food if you’re feeling hungry.”

“Yes, I could use a bite to eat,” Ignis pushed a few strands of hair away from his face. His hair had become disheveled since being out in the rain the night prior. Aurora stopped playing her music and got up to fetch the food she had prepared. “Aurora. May I ask you something?”

“And what would that be?” Aurora asked as she placed a bowl of stew in Ignis’ hands. He muttered a quick thank you before continuing.

“Were you acquainted with King Regis?” His question made Aurora tense for a moment. Had Ignis not been staring at her in that moment, he would have missed it. 

“I was at one point,” she replied simply as she sat down, crossing her legs and continuing to play a tune.

“He called you an ‘old friend’,” Ignis stated. He didn’t believe that this woman was an ‘old friend’ of King Regis. She looked to be about the same age as Ignis and he was skeptical to the claim, thinking this is probably not the same woman the King was talking about. A daughter, maybe, but surely not the same woman. 

Aurora huffed through her nose in amusement, a small smile creeping up the edge of her mouth, “A joke, I’m sure,” she turned away, her smile growing. “Ol’ Reggie is like that. Always with the jokes.”

“Either way, he sends his regards to an Aurora Denond.” Aurora said nothing as Ignis began to eat. The stew was simple, seasoned nicely, and there was a nice mix of potatoes, meats, and veggies. Very pleasant. Ignis looked up from his food to find Aurora looking away pensively while still playing her lyre. She didn’t seem happy to be helping but she never stopped catering to his needs. An odd character, for sure. “He also said we should seek her out should we find ourselves in trouble.”

“Ah, so that’s how you found yourself crawling to my abode in the middle of the night,” Aurora mused, changing the tune she was playing. “Reggie told you where I live.”

“Yes, it was quite fortunate that I happened to be in the area during my time of need.”

“Well, you can tell the King that Aurora got his message and hopes he is well,” Aurora stated quietly.

“Regrettably, I won’t be able to pass the message along,” Ignis placed the empty bowl on the nightstand beside him. Aurora looked at him with a questioning look. “The King is dead.” Aurora’s music stopped abruptly. Her face paled as she brought a hand up to her mouth. 

Ignis watched her face contort, as if trying to keep herself from crying, but a loud sob escaped her lips. Her eyes welled with tears but she lifted her head to keep them from falling. 

“Regis is dead?” Her voice cracked. Ignis nodded in response. Another sob and the tears started to cascade down her cheeks. “Excuse me.” Aurora got up so quickly the chair she had been sitting in fell over as she exited the room. 

Ignis could hear her footsteps as she padded her way through the living area and kitchen. The front door creaked as it opened and shut again. Then a very hardy and loud ‘fuck’ could be heard from outside, followed by many other curses and sobs. “Why didn’t anyone fucking tell me!” Ignis heard Aurora cry. 

There was a window just above the bed. Ignis shuffled closer and peered outside to see Aurora in the middle of punching a large tree by the house. The familiar crunching of bones could be heard, followed by Aurora’s screams. This time a mix of sadness and pain. 

After the screaming and crying died down, Aurora reentered the home and stood in the doorway to the bedroom. The knuckles on her right hand bloodied and bruised. “That was a bit reckless, wouldn’t you say?” Ignis raised an eyebrow at Aurora’s now broken hand. 

“Bones can easily be mended. Do not judge how I grieve,” Aurora huffed as she picked up her lyre and began to play once more. The song was not the best since her hand was broken but over the course of a few minutes her playing gradually got better, as if her hand was doing the same. Once the song was over, the open wounds on her hand had completely healed. She wiggled her fingers and rubbed her knuckles. “There. All healed.”

“What just happened?” Ignis inquired.

“This is why Reggie said to seek me out should you find yourself in trouble,” Aurora replied, placing the lyre on the nightstand. 

  
  


“I need to find Noct,” Ignis stated. “I’ve been gone for too long.”

“Noct?” Aurora questioned, interest suddenly peaked. “As in Noctis Lucis Caelum the crown prince?”

“Ye--,” Ignis bit his tongue. He didn’t need anyone else knowing Noctis was alive but the King had said she could be trusted. To be safe, he decided against telling her. “No. He’s just a friend of mine that survived the attack.” Aurora snorted with an amused smirk.

“Is he alone?”

“No, he’s with two other friends of ours.”

“Good to know,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Care to repeat that?”

“I said: you’re not going anywhere,” Aurora huffed. She was now sitting at the end of the bed cross legged. “What part of needing to heal do you not understand? A fever doesn’t just go away in 24 hours.”

“What happened to your magic lyre?” Ignis motioned to the lyre that was still sitting on the nightstand. “Just use it to heal me and I’ll be on my way.”

“The lyre isn’t magic, you dolt,  _ I am _ . I just use it to channel my magic,” Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose. “Besides, even with my magic, it’s very hard to heal a virus or infection. I’m a great healer but I’m not a miracle worker. That’s the oracle’s job.”

“It’s rather peculiar magic,” Ignis thought out loud as he picked up the lyre from the night stand, plucking it once or twice. “I’ve never seen such a thing. Outside of one other instance.” He was referring to the time he met a magical cat woman from another dimension but kept his mouth shut about it.

Aurora didn’t seem to hear his last comment as she hopped off of the bed. “Get some sleep. You’ll need your strength.”

“Where is my cellphone?” He asked, looking around the room. “I need to contact my friends.”

“You didn’t have one on you when you got here, now go to sleep,” Aurora sighed as she shut the lights off and exited the room.

Ignis decided to comply with Aurora’s demands for the time being and went back to sleep. 

Later that night when Ignis woke, he wasn’t feeling as well as he had been. His head was pounding and felt as if it was on fire while the rest of his body was cold and shivering. He pushed all those feelings aside as he threw the blankets off of his frame, a wash of cold air attacking his already cold skin. He needed to find Noct, but first he needed to find his clothes. He shuffled his way into what he assumed to be the bathroom. He was right. His clothes were sitting on the edge of the large bathtub, neatly folded. 

Once dressed, he looked at himself in the mirror. He wasn’t looking great, hair disheveled, face pale, dark bags under his eyes, glasses...wait, where were his glasses? He sighed heavily and sauntered back to the bedroom but his glasses weren't in there. “Where the bloody hell did she put them?” He made his way into the kitchen. There, the glasses were sitting on the island countertop neatly, looking to be freshly cleaned. 

Ignis placed the glasses on his face and turned around to find Aurora asleep on the couch in the living area of the room. She looked peaceful in her sleep, her bangs falling in her face. Ignis almost felt bad leaving but he needed to find Noct and the others as soon as possible. 

And with that, he left. 

  
  


As Ignis walked along a small path in the pitch black looking for his phone, he started to feel dizzy. “Not now,” he mumbled, clutching his head. He didn’t need both a pounding headache and the world spinning. “If I can just get my phone I can contact Noct.”

He heard a sound behind him and instinctively summoned his daggers, throwing one at the source of the sound. All he could hear was the dagger hitting the dirt and a faint giggling sound. “Daemons,” he grumbled, resummoning the dagger he threw into his hand. 

There was a loud rumbling sound and Ignis turned to see a large Iron Giant manifest near him along with a few imps. “Perfect,” Ignis said through gritted teeth.

He was able to slice through the imps with little to no problem. Imps are easy. The Iron Giant, however, was going to be a problem. 

“Perhaps this will help,” Ignis pulled out a strong ice spell and threw it in the direction of the giant. While it helped take a huge chunk of the beast’s health, it didn’t stop it from attacking Ignis, knocking him back a few feet. He lost his footing and fell onto his back. His headache began pounding so hard that large portions of his vision were just black spots.

The Giant lifted its large sword. Just as it was about to bring it down on Ignis, a dagger was thrown at its hand, impairing it.  _ Did I do that?  _ Ignis thought. At that point he could barely comprehend what was happening.

“Ignis!” He heard his name being called.  _ Aurora? _ Then he heard music. Why was she always playing music? The daemon didn’t seem to like the music she was playing and was distracted long enough for Ignis to get up and finish it off. 

Once the daemon was dead he turned to Aurora who started yelling, “You idiot! Why are you going off on your own with a fever AT NIGHT!?” She shoved him hard. He lost his footing again and his back made contact with a tree behind him.

“You know exactly why, I have no need to repeat myself.” 

“Astrals, do you think your friend is a child? An infant, perhaps?” Aurora crossed her arms. “You said he was with two other guys. He’s  _ fine _ . Now quit bitching and get back in the house!” Ignis ignored her and turned so his back was facing her, leaning forward and groaning. “Okay, I’m sorry for yelling. I just--” Aurora was interrupted by Ignis throwing up. “Ew.”

Aurora walked over to him and rubbed his back as he continued to throw up, retching a couple times herself because the sound was triggering her gag reflex. “This isn’t normal,” she said once there was a pause in his heaving. She dipped her head down to look at his face, he was very pale and shivering, his breathing short and quick. “Ignis, are you having trouble breathing?”

“I’m  _ fine _ , Noct,” he insisted. Aurora let out a single ‘hah’, equal parts mocking and concern.

“Alright, you need serious medical attention,” Aurora tried lifting Ignis to stand but he became dead weight as he passed out. “Oh fuck. Ignis?” She fell to her knees to examine him. He wasn’t dead but he wasn’t doing too hot on living, either.

It took her awhile but Aurora was able to get Ignis over her shoulders and start making her way back to her cottage. “Regis,” she mumbled, taking small wobbly steps, making sure Ignis’ weight didn’t overpower her. “If you weren’t already dead, I’d kill you.”

  
  


Ignis woke with a start, jerking up to a sitting position. He looked around frantically, only to find himself alone back in Aurora’s bedroom. Clothes once again stripped from his person, minus his boxer briefs, most likely being washed again. 

“Well, look who’s awake,” Ignis heard Aurora’s voice as she turned the corner and rested her shoulder against the doorframe. “The bespectacled idiot.”

“If you’re so upset with me, why don’t you just let me be on my way?”

“I’m upset because you won’t sit still and let me heal you. You’re like a five year old child.” Aurora glared at Ignis. “That fever must be fogging up your brain. Get a grip. You almost died out there.”

“How long was I out?” he asked as he rubbed his eye.

“A full day,” Aurora explained as she pushed him back down until his head hit the pillow. She placed a cold wet cloth on his forehead and he sighed with relief. “You’re a lot better than you were but you’re still not 100%. I wouldn’t even say you’re 70%. You’re in pretty rough shape.”

“I still have to find Noct,” he grumbled.

Aurora ran her hands down her face in frustration, “Are you a robot? Am I being pranked? Do you know how to do anything other than ‘find Noct’?”

“Your sarcasm is not appreciated,” Ignis pressed his lips together in an unamused fashion. 

“Fine! If you  _ simply must _ get to ‘Noct’, I’m coming with you,” Aurora crossed her arms. 

“I beg your pardon?” Ignis turned his head to face her.

“You heard me. I’m coming with you. It’s the only way I can monitor you to make sure you don’t die while you’re out looking for your friends,” Aurora explained as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Here’s the game plan: you rest for the day and tomorrow we’ll go out and find your friends. Deal?”

Ignis was silent as he thought about Aurora’s proposal. On one hand, he would be able to get out quicker and get back to the group. On the other, he’d have to travel with Aurora. He groaned, “Alright.”

The next morning, Ignis woke to Aurora changing the wet cloth on his forehead. “Goodmorning,” she said softly, “How are you feeling?”

“Not the best,” Ignis shifted in bed. “But much better.”

“I’ll make sure we have everything we need to help you feel your best before we leave,” Aurora stated as she exited the room. “Your clothes are washed and folded in the bathroom. You can go freshen up when you’re ready.”

Aurora sighed loudly as she sat at the kitchen island waiting for Ignis. Her cup of Ebony warming her hands. “You can do this, right?” she asked her reflection in the dark liquid. The Ebony said nothing in return. She took a sip before hopping off of the stool and headed into her room to change. 

Rummaging through her closet, she found some black harem pants with white designs. She quickly changed out of her pajama bottoms and slipped on the harem pants. The fabric was delightfully loose and thin enough to keep her cool in the warm weather. She paired them with a black tank top, a loose aqua blue kimono cardigan with white patterns, and sandals. 

She looked at herself in the mirror and hummed. Regis would often call her a ‘boho nightmare’ when she wore similar clothes and hair. 

‘You’re just jealous I can rock such a comfy getup,’ she would say to him. 

She smiled at the memory but it didn’t take long for her to start crying.

It was another hour before Ignis emerged from the bathroom, clean and fresh. He seemed much happier walking out than he did stumbling in. “How do you feel?” Aurora asked, tapping her fingernails on the empty mug.

“Rejuvenated,” Ignis stretched. He saw the three pill bottles on the kitchen island and picked one up. He read the label. They were hypnotics; sleeping pills. Each bottle a different brand and strength. “Trouble sleeping?” He asked as Aurora came up on the other side of the island.

“You could say that,” she mumbled, fetching something from one of the drawers. It looked like a piece of paper but she hid it away before Ignis could get a good look at it. “Alright, are you ready to go?”

“Indeed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being here :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aurora is now Ignis's personal shadow. They both hate it.

The duo exited the cottage. Aurora turned to give the home one last look and a wave before catching up with Ignis.

“Must you wave to an inanimate object?” He sighed.

“You sound really boring,” Aurora sneered. Ignis shot her a look. “What? You sound so dry. You need more whimsy.”

“It's called being an adult. Something I’m sure you’re quite unfamiliar with,” Ignis said as he quickened his pace to keep from walking beside Aurora.

“You have no idea,” Aurora spat as she rolled her eyes. “Where are we even going?”

“The Chocobo Post isn’t far from here. We can rent a couple chocobo to make travel easier,” Ignis explained. “It would also be swell if I could find my phone.”

“The Chocobo Post, huh?” Aurora smiled at the thought of going back to the Post. She hadn’t been there in a while. A small glint caught her attention and she turned to find a small muddied object on the ground near a cluster of trees. She veered off from the path to pick up the object. It was black and rectangular with a glass screen. A large crack made its way down the middle. “Hey, I think I found your phone.”

Ignis perked up, walking toward her and taking the object from her hand. After examining it and trying to turn it on he groaned. “Broken,” he stated simply.

“Hey, don’t worry, I think I know a guy who can fix this,” Aurora smiled. “Hopefully he still hangs around Chocobo Post.”

“Then let’s make haste!” Ignis spun on his heel and trotted down the path with vigor. 

“ _ Make haste _ ,”Aurora mocked before attempting to catch up to him. “Hey, slow down! Don’t overexert yourself!”

After an hour of no talking and, to Aurora, too much walking, Aurora started whining. “Ignis, we need to rest for a bit,” she huffed, out of breath. “You need to hydrate, anyway.”

Ignis didn’t even turn to acknowledge her. “Fine.”

Aurora sat in the shade of a tree and took a water bottle from the backpack she brought. She made herself comfy in the grass and took a sip from the bottle before offering it to Ignis. He grimaced. “What? Are you afraid of cooties?” She teased. He didn’t answer, just kept scrunching his nose when she kept pushing the bottle in front of him. “Oh, come on. It’s not gonna kill you.”

Reluctantly, Ignis took the bottle. He wiped the nozzle with his shirt before taking a sip. 

Aurora placed her hand on his forehead. “You’re still pretty warm. How are you feeling?”

“I have a headache but it’s nothing I cannot handle,” Ignis dismissed her.

“Asking for help doesn’t make you weak, you know,” Aurora told him and she unclipped the wooden lyre from the holder on her hip. She began to play a lovely little tune and Ignis’s pain was gone. He even felt more energetic after the song was finished. “Is that better?”

“Yes,” he started at the lyre in Aurora’s hand. “You use music as healing magic?”

“Yup.” Aurora holstered the lyre back on her hip. “I use it for all kinds of magic, not just healing. Support magic, healing magic, attack magic, I can do it all.”

“Interesting,” was all Ignis said before he started walking again.

“Dude, we  _ just _ sat down. Give your body a break,” Aurora whined.

“Make haste!”

“Uhhhgggg.”

The Chocobo Post was finally in sight. Aurora could almost taste the sweet sensation of sitting down again. What a luxury she took for granted before becoming Ignis’s shadow.

“Ignis, how can you walk this much in dress shoes and not have your feet bleed?” Aurora asked, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of his face. His brows were knitted together with determination. He didn’t give Aurora an answer so she changed the subject, “Hey, there’s the merchant. Looks like the same guy I know that can fix phones. Let’s go say hello.”

“Very well.”

“Hm, a selective conversationalist,” Aurora mumbled sarcastically.

“Hey!” Aurora called to the merchant. His head immediately perked up as she approached him, arms crossed. “I hear you can fix cell phones.”

“Sure can,” the man smirked as he leaned forward. 

“If you can fix this I have a hefty amount of gil for you,” Aurora handed the phone to the merchant.

He huffed in amusement as he examined the phone, “Geez, did you leave it outside or something? Give me an hour, I should have it done by then.”

“Great, thanks.”

“Hey, you look familiar,” The merchant pointed to Aurora. “Where do I know you from?”

“Uh, you don’t,” Aurora began walking away. “See you in an hour.”

“What was that?” Ignis asked as he caught up with Aurora.

“Eh, he was probably just trying to flirt with me so I shot him down,” Aurora shrugged as she continued on.

“I see Wiz, I should go say hello,” Ignis walked ahead. Aurora just sighed and slowly followed behind him.

“Well, if it ain’t you boys! Er--single boy,” Wiz laughed as Ignis approached the Chocobo Post. “Where are the others?”

“I lost them during the storm a few nights ago, hoping to reconvene with them shortly,” Ignis explained. “Unfortunately, our means of transportation has been compromised. We’ll require the aid of the rentals from your fine establishment.”

Aurora was walking behind Ignis so it took Wiz a little longer to see her. He tilted his head as he tried to see her face. His eyes lit up once he recognized her, “Aurora Denond.” 

“Hello Wiz,” Aurora smiled with tired eyes.

“Well, ain’t you a sight. Been a good few years since I seen yer purdy face,” Wiz gave her a light hug. Aurora gave him a kiss on the cheek when they parted. Wiz kept his hands out to cradle her face in admiration, stoking her cheeks with his thumbs. “I’m sure Beans is gonna be pleased as punch to see yah again.”

“Who is Beans?” Ignis asked. Wiz stepped away from Aurora, coughing lightly in embarrassment, forgetting Ignis was present.

“Only the purdiest chocobo ‘round these parts,” Wiz puffed his chest out proudly. “Raised her m’self before giftin’ her to Aurora here.”

“Oh, I’m so happy I get to see my girl again!” Aurora’s eyes lit up and she clapped her hands. 

“I’ll go get ‘er for yah, wait right here,” Wiz smiled, stoking Aurora’s cheek before heading off.

While Wiz went back to get Beans, Ignis turned to her, “You seem well acquainted with Wiz.”

“Yeah, he’s a nice man,” Aurora mused with a light hum.

“A relative of yours?”

“No, just a wonderful man.”

This didn’t sit well with Ignis, “I hope you don’t make a habit of taking advantage of men.”

Shocked, Aurora turned to fully face Ignis, “ _ Excuse me? _ ”

“He’s a good man, Aurora. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like this and for what? A free chocobo?” Ignis placed a hand on his hip.

“You don’t know anything about our relationship. Unless you know all the facts, I suggest you keep quiet.” She crossed her arms with a glare.

  
  


“Here she is!” Wiz called as he brought a bright aquamarine chocobo out from around the corner. Beans warked as soon as she saw Aurora and ran to her. 

“Beans!” Aurora met her halfway and threw her arms around the large bird’s neck. “Oh, my sweet Beanie Baby. I’ve missed you so much! I hope you’ve been a good girl for Wiz.”

“She’s been an absolute sweetheart,” Wiz confirmed as he finally made it to the girls. “Been a good broodmother fer many of the chicks born here. You should be proud.”

“I am,” Aurora nuzzled into Beans’ feathers affectionately.

Wiz turned to Ignis, “Hey, son, why don’t yah go get one o’ them chocobo from the stables?” Ignis nodded and headed to the stables. Wiz then turned back to Aurora.

“Aurora, darlin’,” Wiz said quietly, “Why’re you with this young man?”

Aurora exhaled through her nose before removing herself from Beans’s plumage to look Wiz in the eye, “Do you remember that thing I told you about?”

Wiz nodded, “Is it finally time?”

“Yeah,” Aurora looked over at Ignis, who was mulling around the stables in the distance, petting the chocobo he chose. “I think he can help me.”

“He doesn’t know, does he?” Wiz turned to look at Ignis. Aurora shook her head in response. “Will he ever know?”

“I’d rather he didn’t,” Aurora sighed, petting Beans under her chin. 

“Well, if yah ever run into trouble, y’know my door is always open,” Wiz smiled, kissing Aurora on the forehead.

“Thank you, Wiz,” Aurora affectionately placed a hand on his cheek, lingering for a moment before mounting her chocobo. “I’ll keep in touch.”

“Y’all come back now,” Wiz waved.

Ignis looked on in disgust as Wiz kissed Aurora on the forehead. “How could she be so...so…” he scoffed under his breath but composed himself as Aurora rode toward him.

“Hey, are you ready to go?” Aurora called to him on her chocobo. He nodded. “Good, then let’s go get your phone.”

Aurora dismounted from Beans and held the reins to guide her back to the merchant. “Hey, I’m gonna need more time with the phone,” he said as he fiddled with the phone that laid in front of him in several pieces. He looked up at Aurora, his eyes squinting in thought, “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to be Aurora Denond, would you?”

“Uh...yeah,” Aurora mumbled.

“Hah! I knew it. Damn, you look great,” the merchant smiled. “Dave is gonna be real happy to hear I found you parading around Duscae again!”

Aurora coughed loudly to drown him out, “Can we not talk about this,” she grumbled as Ignis approached. She lowered her voice to a whisper, “but tell Dave I’m okay.”

“Will do, Solar Wind,” the merchant winked. 

Aurora groaned at the title and turned to Ignis. “He’s gonna need a bit more time with your cell. Why don’t we eat here while we wait? My treat.”

“Back so soon?” Wiz joked as the duo approached. “Waddaya need?”

“Just some food while we wait for his phone to get fixed,” Aurora smiled. “I’ll have my usual, please!”

“You got it, darlin’,” Wiz smiled as the duo sat down at one of the tables. “And what’ll you have, son?”

“A club sandwich will do just fine,” Ignis replied, his mind somewhere else.

Once Wiz was gone Aurora poked Ignis in the arm, “Where are you?”

“Pardon?” Ignis looked at her with knitted brows.

“You’re obviously not here in the present, so where are you?” Aurora crossed her arms and layed back in her chair to get comfortable.

“I’m thinking,” he muttered. “Is that allowed?”

Aurora snorted at the amount of sass that she could hear in his voice, “What is your beef with me?” she asked, exhausted with his attitude. “I’ve been helping to heal you for the past few days.”

“You have also prevented me from finding my group,” Ignis shot back. “I am perfectly capable of going about this myself. Your help was appreciated when it was needed. Now it’s…” He trailed off at the end.

“What? Say it,” she challenged.

“Annoying.”

“Call it what you want but I’m the reason you’re not dead in a ditch from your fever and the reason your phone is getting fixed,” she shrugged while picking dirt out of her nails. “How were you going to do all of this without my help? Oh, that’s right, you weren’t.”

Before Ignis could say anything, Wiz came back with the food they ordered. Aurora’s meal looked similar to Ignis’ but full of mushrooms and had a Duscaen orange on the side. “What is that?” Ignis asked, reaching for her food to get a better look. 

Aurora slapped his hand away, “Whoa there, buddy. Don’t touch my food.”

Wiz laughed at the interaction, “Aurora here loves a good mushroom so I’d always keep some around just for her. Luckily I was able to find a few since she hadn’t been around in a long time,” he explained while Aurora’s mouth was full. “If you two need anything else just gimme a holler.”

“Fank ooo Wiv,” Aurora waved, her mouth still full of food.

They were silent as they ate their food. Instead of focusing on the awkward silence, Aurora occupied herself with throwing bits of her food down for the baby chocobo to scavenge. She would periodically turn to see the merchant still working on the phone. The merchant caught her staring and waved her down. 

“I’ll be right back,” she told Ignis as she got up from her seat. 

“Hey there, Solar Wind!” The merchant smiled as Aurora approached. 

“It’s Aurora,” she corrected, crossing her arms. “Did you get the phone fixed?”

“Sure did, take a look,” the merchant threw the phone to Aurora and she caught it gracefully, turning it on to make sure it actually worked. The screen lit up and though she couldn’t get in because of the lock screen, the lock screen photo was visible. It was a group photo of Ignis and three other guys. A blonde with freckles, a muscular man with a mullet, and a bored looking raven haired boy. _It’s him._ _Noctis_. The merchant coughed to bring Aurora back to reality, “So, about that hefty amount of gil you promised?”

“Right.” Aurora let her backpack slide down her arms. She rummaged through it until she took out a wad of cash. “Here you go.”

The merchant whistled after counting the money. “20,000 gil? Really?”

“You can throw in a couple of those amulets, too.” Aurora nodded her head toward the back of the merchant truck where his wears were being showcased. A few necklaces hung near some of the weapons. The merchant shrugged and handed a couple of them to Aurora. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“So, you back in business?” The merchant asked with an excited smile. “I’ve heard stories.”

Aurora opened her mouth to dismiss him but closed it again. She didn’t know what to say. “Maybe,” she said quietly. “I have some things to take care of first.”

“I’ll be looking forward to hearing about you again!” The merchant waved as Aurora walked back to the little cafe Ignis was waiting at.

“I doubt you will,” she mumbled to herself, placing one of the amulets around her neck.

“Any word from the merchant?” Ignis asked as Aurora stood beside him. 

“Yup, all fixed,” Aurora said as she handed Ignis his phone. As he was busy catching up on looking at how many missed calls he had, Aurora placed the second amulet around his neck.

“What is this?” He asked, examining it.

“An amulet. It helps increase magic,” Aurora smiled as she walked back to her side of the table, showcasing her own amulet. “We’re matching!”

“No thank you,” Ignis took the amulet off, much to Aurora’s disappointment. “I already have a pendant.”

“I can see that,” Aurora sneered as she got a better look at the necklace Ignis was wearing. It looked to be a small black skull pendant. It was...oddly familiar to her.

“Please excuse me.” Ignis excused himself from the table, phone to his ear. Aurora could hear a myriad of yelling from the other end of the call. Ignis had to lift the phone from his ear.

Aurora tried to look busy as she was eavesdropping. “Yes yes, I’m alright. Are you safe?” He asked. Another bout of yelling from the other end of the call. “Prompto, give the phone back to Noct...Noct, where are you?...Yes, that isn’t far, I can be there shortly. Wait for me.”

Ignis hung up and walked back to the table. “Any news?” Aurora asked, feigning ignorance. 

“They’re at Coernix Station.”

“Coernix Station? We just went in a big circle,” Aurora groaned. “That station is close to my home.”

“Perfect, then we can part ways once we reach them,” Ignis stated as he mounted his chocobo. “Onward!”

Aurora snorted, “Part ways. Yeah, sure, whatever.”

“You two leavin’?” Wiz asked as he walked over to the duo.

“Yes. Thank you for your hospitality as always, Wiz,” Ignis nodded.

Aurora walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered.

“Anytime darlin’.” Wiz hugged her back tightly. “Wish I coulda spent more time with yah.”

“I know…” Aurora stepped away from Wiz and scratched at her arm anxiously. Her eyes darted to Ignis for a moment. “Um...I’ll call you sometime later, okay?”

Wiz nodded with a warm smile. Aurora mounted Beans and set off with Ignis to Coernix Station.

“Finally! We got a hold of Ignis!” Prompto hopped on the balls of his feet happily.

“Maybe if  _ somebody _ hadn’t thought it was a good idea to travel at night we wouldn’t have lost him in the first place,” Gladio said as he smacked Noctis upside the head.

“Hey! We can hold our own against daemons,” Noctis huffed, pushing Gladio aside. “The storm was just a bit much.”

“You’re just lucky you were able to forge a covenant with Ramuh without Iggy’s help,” Gladio ruffled Noctis’ hair.

“Hey guys...Who’s that?” Prompto pointed in the direction of the road. Not far down were two chocobo running toward the station. One the usual yellow and the other a beautiful turquoise. “I think I can see Ignis but I don’t know who he’s with.”

Gladio squinted to get a better look at the chocobo riders. “That’s definitely Iggy,” he said. “No idea who the girl is.”

The girl managed to get to the station before Ignis. She gracefully jumped from her chocobo and began walking over to the group. “Aurora wait!” The group could hear Ignis’s voice from a distance but the girl seemed to ignore him and spoke anyway.

“Noctis Lucis Caelum, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” She smiled warmly as she extended her hand. “My name is Aurora Denond but I’m sure your father never mentioned me.”

Noctis stared at Aurora for a moment, studying her face, then slowly slipped his hand into hers, “I...recognize you.” 

“Wha,” Aurora’s eyes widened, “What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen your face. In pictures my father kept from when he was young,” Noctis explained.

“Probably her mother,” Ignis mumbled as he joined the group. Gladio draped an arm over Ignis’s shoulders and pulled him into a one arm hug, welcoming him back.

Prompto agreed with Ignis’ statement, “Yeah, she looks our age!” 

“Yes, well, your father asked me to keep a promise for a debt long owed,” she let go of Noctis’ hand. “He asked me to keep you safe should he fall.”

“My father…?”

Aurora nodded, “Mhm, so like it or not, I’m here to make sure you accomplish whatever it is you’re setting out to do.”

“I beg your pardon?” Ignis turned to face Aurora, who greeted his obvious distaste with a half lidded side eye.

“So, you’re going to be joining us?” Gladio asked. “It’s not gonna be an easy trek, y’know.” 

“I’ve been on my fair share of adventures, I can hold my own,” Aurora shrugged off Gladio’s comment. “My only goal is to keep Noctis out of harm’s way. I promised Regis. I swore an oath, or whatever.”

“When were you going to tell me any of this information?” Ignis crossed his arms.

“Well, I wasn’t going to tell you before I knew where Noctis was. Otherwise you’d have left me back at my cottage,” Aurora mirrored Ignis’ crossed arms and sour expression, “because I know you don’t like me and, frankly, I’m not a big fan of you, either. But I have a duty to my King, just like you. Deal with it.”

“So, we have a new member of the group?” Prompto smiled excitedly. 

“I mean, it’s up to his highness,” Gladio gestured to Noctis, who shrugged in response.

“Hey, if my father trusted you to keep me safe then I don’t mind having you around,” he said in a bored tone. 

Ignis groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Secrets, secrets, secrets!  
> Aurora's past is catching up to her already!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter should be called "Ignis is a dick" lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best chapter, kinda all over the place and jumps forward a lot. 
> 
> Okay, so, Aurora starts calling Ignis by a nickname. It’s a Latin word for: crest, plume, tuft on the head of animals. Or at least that's what the internet told me.
> 
> I also tried recreating a cut scene word for word, let's hope that goes well lol

The next morning the squad woke in the caravan at Coernix Station. Aurora got up off of the couch she used as a bed the night before and stretched. She looked around to find that most of the boys were still sleeping. She tiptoed her way out of the caravan and closed the door behind her, trying not to make too much noise. 

The morning breeze was pleasantly cool on her face. She smiled for a moment before going back to the sad eyes she had been sporting as of late. “I’m still here,” she said quietly.

“If you’re so upset by that fact, you can go back home,” a voice chided from beside her. Aurora turned to see Ignis with a hand on his hip.

“Are you familiar with an oath?” Aurora raised an eyebrow at him. “Because it sounds like you have no damn clue.”

“I am well aware of what an oath is,” Ignis walked closer to her. “We have Noct’s protection covered. There is no need for another body weighing us down.”

“Then you can feel free to sit this one out,”Aurora shrugged. Ignis rolled his eyes and pushed passed her to get back into the caravan. “This is gonna be a long trip.”

It was another hour before everyone was up and ready for the day. Everyone seemed normal but there was something different about Ignis. His hair wasn’t down anymore, as if he styled it up. At first glance, Aurora thought it was silly and she stifled a laugh but couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her lips as she walked over to the boys. “What’s so funny?” Ignis asked her. 

“Nothing. Nothing,” Aurora smiled. “I’m just wondering what kind of bird you’re trying to attract with that hair.”

“Heehee,” Prompto giggled and Ignis shot him a look. “What? It was funny!”

“Don’t encourage her.”

“Crista’s got a point, you shouldn’t encourage me,” Aurora winked at Prompto. 

“Aw, she already gave you a nickname!” 

“Crista?” Noctis cocked his head.

“You know,” Aurora imitated Ignis’s hair with her hand. “Looks like bird plumage.”

“Alright, alright, no more making fun of Iggy,” Gladio slung his arm around Ignis’s shoulders. “That’s my job.”

“You’re all relentless,” Ignis sighed.

  
  


“So,” Aurora started, “What exactly are we doing?”

“Our first objective should be finding the Regalia,” Ignis replied.

“Cindy called earlier,” Noctis told him. “Said it’s in an imperial base.”

Ignis sighed heavily at the news. “Then we best be on our way.”

“The Regalia, huh?” Aurora smiled, turning to Noctis. “Isn’t that the king’s car?”

“Yeah,” Noctis replied simply. “How’d you know?”

“Eh, I rode in that car a few times,” Aurora shrugged. 

The group began their trek to the imperial base Cindy told the boys to go. Aurora closed her eyes, feeling the breeze in her hair as Beans ran along with the other chocobo the boys had rented. It had been a long time since she traveled. Hell, it had been a long time since she had even left the house. 

Aurora’s thoughts were interrupted by something hitting her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see the large tattooed man riding beside her with a smile.

“Hey, we were never properly introduced,” he began. “The name’s Gladio. Gladio Amicitia.”

“Amicitia,” Aurora repeated. “I knew your father, Clarus.”

“Really? He’s never mentioned you before.”

“I don’t get out much,” Aurora shrugged with a smile. 

“Hi!” Another voice erupted from the other side of Gladio. Aurora leaned forward to get a better look at the individual past him to see a hand waving frantically. “My name’s Prompto!”

“It’s nice to meet you, Prompto.” Aurora waved back. “I’m Aurora.”

“I got a question for ya,” Prompto began. “How bad was Iggy when he asked you for help?”

“Bad enough that he passed out before introducing himself or even properly asking for help,” Aurora shrugged, grabbing onto Beans’s reigns as she jumped over a large rock, flapping her tiny wings with purpose. “Speaking of which, hey! Crista! I need to check your fever!”

Aurora kept calling out to Ignis, who was a short distance ahead with Noctis. He ignored her calls. Noctis looked back to see Aurora’s annoyed expression.

“Hey, come on, Specs. I know you can hear her,” Noctis sighed.

“I have no need for medical attention at this time,” Ignis grumbled, keeping his eyes forward. 

“That’s the whole reason she’s here, to keep us all healthy,” Noctis explained. “Just let her do her job.”

Ignis sneered. “Very well, we’ll make camp near the imperial base.”

Aurora walked up to Ignis as he began preparing dinner at the haven. “Hey, uh,” she shuffled uncomfortably. “Look, I know we don’t exactly like each other but could you do me a single favour?”

Ignis snorted a laugh, “And what would that be?”

Aurora rolled her eyes at his amused tone. “I’m...I’m allergic to onions,” she mumbled. “If you could keep them away from the dishes you make, or at least warn me of the presence of onions in specific food items, I’d appreciate it.”

“Very well,” Ignis said with a nod. Aurora nodded in return and walked back to the group sitting by the fire.

After a quick checkup and meal at the campsite, everyone was ready to hear Ignis’s plan of attack for the base. Aurora zoned out as he explained the plan to the group. Something about not doing a frontal assault, cover of night, blah blah blah. Very boring. “So, Noctis,” Aurora began once Ignis had stopped droning on, “What’s your fighting style like?”

“I dunno. Going all out, I guess.”

“Were you not listening to a word I just said?” Ignis sighed. “We are trying to get the Regalia back without being detected.”

“What makes you think we’re going to be able to get a whole damn car out of there without being seen?” Aurora crossed her arms in a huff.

“ _ We _ are getting the Regalia back.  _ You _ are staying here,” Ignis narrowed his eyes in her direction. 

“Oh, am I not part of this equation?” Aurora crossed her arms.

“Absolutely not.”

“Aw, come on, Iggy” Prompto started, “Why not let her come along?”

“She will only be a burden,” Ignis huffed.

“Ouch, my feelings,” Aurora placed a hand on her heart in feigned heartbreak. She folded her arms behind her head and leaned back in her chair, “Well, you kids have fun fighting the Niffs. Don’t expect me to heal your booboos when you come back since I’m clearly not wanted.”

“Ah, so you finally understand,” Ignis spoke dryly with his arms crossed.

  
  


At the haven, Aurora rested against Beans as the large bird slept. She had tried resting earlier but the thought of the boys getting hurt or dying kept her awake. “Ignis can croak for all I care,” she huffed to herself.

“Kweh,” Beans peeped, her feathers ruffling as she woke. She nudged Aurora with her beak.

“I’m serious, Beans,” Aurora told the bird. “Don’t give me that look.”

“Kweh!” Beans squawked louder, making Aurora recoil from the loud noise.

“Geez, okay, I get it!” Aurora threw her arms up dramatically. Beans seemed satisfied and went back to her sleeping position. 

Aurora couldn’t stand just sitting around waiting for the boys to potentially fail any longer. With a hearty grunt, she lifted herself from Beans and headed toward the imperial base the boys had gone to an hour earlier.

  
  


It wasn’t hard for Aurora to infiltrate the base. She was good at keeping from being seen with her Hide ability, something she hadn’t used in a very long time. “Now,” she began after looking around, “If I was a pompous asshole following the Crown Prince of Hot Topic...where would I be?”

There was a loud crashing sound not far from where Aurora was hidden. She turned in that direction to see smoke and a small explosion. “That’s probably where I would be.” Quickly, Aurora made her way to the commotion, being sure not to be seen by the Magitek soldiers patrolling the area. 

Once in a high vantage point, Aurora looked down at the scene playing out in front of her. The boys were facing off against a bunch of MTs and large machines. They seemed to be doing well--

“Ahg!” She heard Noctis cry out when he got shot.

“Spoke too soon,” Aurora sighed to herself as she unholstered her lyre. She began playing a small tune and Noctis went from hunching over in pain to being confused and vitalized. “A strength booster for good measure wouldn’t hurt.”

“Dude, what’s happening?” Prompto cried out. “Does anyone else feel super amazing all of a sudden?”

“I know what you mean,” Noctis rolled his shoulder. “My wound is all healed.”

“Yeah yeah, we feel great, just keep your head in the fight!” Gladio yelled.

Aurora watched as Noctis ran further into the base to a large contraption. The wind suddenly picked up and a massive figure of an old man with a staff appeared.

“Oh fuck,” she gasped. “He summoned one of the Six!!” She used her Hide ability to keep herself from coming to potential harm as the large figure decimated the base. Ridding it of all enemies.

“So, this is the might of the Six…” Noctis stood in awe of the carnage Ramuh had caused to the base.

“Dude...That. Was. Hardcore!!” Prompto yelled.

The boys finally found the Regalia in the base but Prompto heard footsteps closing in on them. He turned to find a man in a white uniform and silver hair. “Uh...guys?” He warned the others. They all turned to see the man walking toward them.

“Long has it been, Noctis,” The man mused.

“Ravus,” Noctis breathed.

“You receive the Storm’s blessing, and yet,” Ravus drew his blade and pointed it at Noctis’s throat. “You know nothing of the consequences.”

Before anyone could say another word, a light tune began to play behind everyone. The music seemed pleasant to the boys but to Ravus, painful.

“What is this strange magic?” Ravus grumbled, clutching his head. He looked up to see Aurora sitting on the Regalia. “Who are you?”

“The Lady of Healing, The Solar Wind, take your pick” Aurora looked up at Ravus with a smile. “But if you touch the Prince I could also be called your worst nightmare.”

“Your threats do not frighten me, girl.” Ravus brought his weapon back to Noctis’ throat.

“Watch it,” Gladio growled, walking closer. Ravus stopped him by placing his blade to Gladio’s neck instead. This action made the other two move forward but Ravus lifted his free hand to stop them.

“Be still. All of you,” He warned. 

“Not good,” Prompto mumbled.

Ravus turned his attention back to Noctis, “Heir to a crown befitting no other. Witness his splendor and glory. All hail the Chosen King,” His words were like poison.

“Awful high and mighty for an imperial rat, serving the enemy to hunt down Luna!” Noctis shot back, stepping closer to Ravus with purpose.

Ravus caught him by the throat. “I do not serve. I command!” He roared, throwing Noctis back. Gladio immediately ran in front of Noctis, shielding him. Ravus sneered at the action. “The king’s sworn shield.”

“You better believe it,” Gladio puffed out his chest.

“A weak shield protects naught,” Ravus stated as he lifted his blade. He swung his blade down toward Gladio but not before Gladio summoned his greatsword to protect himself, grunting as the weight of Ravus’s weapon was becoming too much. As he threw Ravus’s blade off of him, Ravus used this vulnerable state to throw Gladio back with surprising force, knocking him into the Regalia.

“Gladio!” The group hollered. Prompto and Aurora were immediately at Gladio’s side making sure he was okay.

“Hey!” Noctis cried, “You wanna go? Let’s do it.” The Royal Arms Noctis had collected spun around him in a ghostly fashion, showcasing the weapons he had at his disposal in a threatening manner.

“Should the chosen fall, that too is fate.” Ravus glared at Noctis.

The boys were interrupted by a loud flash of light. “I’d say that’s far enough,” said a man who appeared seemingly out of nowhere. “A hand, Highness?” 

“Not from you,” Noctis replied quickly.

“Oh, but I’m here to help.”

“And how is that?” Ignis inquired, suspicious of the man.

“By taking the army away,” the man replied. It was at this point that Aurora recognized the man. Ardyn Izunia. 

“You expect us to believe that?” Gladio asked, still recovering from being thrown against the Regalia.

“When next we meet, it’ll be across the seas,” Arydn paused to look at Noctis. “Just so happens we have business of our own with the tutelary deity. Don’t we?” He turned to Ravus, who had his back turned to Ardyn. 

Aurora snorted, getting Ardyn’s attention. He tilted his head with an amused smirk, “Have we met before, my fair lady?”

“Certainly not, Chancellor.” She crossed her arms defensively. 

“You say you are The Lady of Healing? The Solar Wind?” Adryn hummed. “Curious. I knew someone with those titles long ago.”

“A coincidence, I’m sure,” with that, Aurora walked back to Gladio to make sure he was alright.

Ardyn hummed again in amusement before turning back to Noctis, “Fare thee well, Your Majesty, and safe travels.” The Chancellor and Ravus exited the scene.

“You guys know that guy?” Prompto shuddered as he watched them leave. 

“Ravus Nox Fleuret, first son of Tenebrae and elder brother to Lady Lunafreya,” Ignis explained. He turned to Aurora, who was playing a small tune for Gladio, “It seems the Chancellor is acquainted with you.”

“What?” Aurora looked up from what she was doing with a confused look.

“He knew of your titles.”

“So what? I’m sure there are people in Niflheim with those titles,” Aurora shrugged and went back to what she was doing. 

Ignis narrowed his eyes.

“Uh, Aurora?” Prompto tapped her shoulder. “When did you even get in here?”

“Yeah, you just showed up out of nowhere,” Gladio said before thanking her for the healing magic.

“I’ve been here nearly as long as you guys have. I’m pretty good at stealth,” she shrugged, giving Ignis a side eye. “I was giving you guys little boosts in power and healing you when I could.”

“So, that was you?” Noctis walked over to her. Aurora nodded. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Aurora smiled.

The boys started to pile into the car. Ignis took the wheel while Prompto took the passenger seat. The other three took the back seats, Aurora sitting in the middle of Noctis and Gladio.

Aurora ran her hands over the leather seat and shivered. The Regalia brought back some memories she didn’t want to think about just yet. Crying in front of Ignis would only make him happy and Aurora couldn’t have that. “So,” she began, shaking away the memories, “Now what? You guys have the car, what’s the next step?”

“My sister Iris was supposed to go to Cape Caem to help set up the King’ royal vessel in the secret harbour down there,” Gladio explained as he brought out a worn book. “I couldn’t get a hold of her during the storm a few nights ago so we’re kind of in the dark about the progress.”

The group made it to Lestallum, where the group last saw Iris, and made their way to the Leville Hotel. Inside, a young girl with short brown hair was looking very distraught. Even more so when she saw the group enter the hotel. “Oh Gladdy,” the young girl’s voice shook.

“What’s wrong?” Gladio was very concerned by this and stepped forward.

“I let you down...I never made it to Caem,” The girl, Iris, explained. “The empire came while you were gone.”

The group piled into one of the rooms at the hotel to get the full story of what had happened while the boys were gone. Aurora felt uncomfortable and slipped out of the room unnoticed. It didn’t feel right to be sharing those emotions since she wasn’t exactly ‘part of the group’.

“Poor Jared,” She heard Iris sigh.

“What do you mean?” Gladio asked. “What happened to Jared?”

“There was nothing we could do!!” Aurora heard Iris scream from the hotel room. The pain in her voice set off Aurora’s own emotions. She shut her eyes tightly as unwanted faded memories flooded into her mind.

_ Cries of pain.  _

_ Blurred figures. _

_ “Varin! No!” _

The sound of sniffling brought Aurora back to reality. A little boy in a red flannel shirt was sauntering down the hall. He looked to be about seven years old. “Hey kid, what’s wrong?” Aurora crouched down to be closer to his height. 

“My grandpa…” he sniffled again.

“Ah,” Aurora looked down, realising this kid was related to the man who had just been killed. “Losing someone you love can be...really hard. Just know that you’re not weak for crying or feeling sad.”

The little boy nodded, wiping his tear stained cheeks, “Y-yeah…it’s just...scary. I couldn’t stop them...”

“What’s your name?”

“Talcott,” The boy replied.

“Here, Talcott,” Aurora took off the amulet she had been wearing and placed it around Talcott’s neck. “That necklace is made with magic. It can help you keep the bad stuff away.”

Talcott looked down at the amulet curiously. He managed a small smile once he looked back up at Aurora. “Thank you, Kind Miss.”

“My name is Aurora,” she smiled at the boy.

“Thank you, Kind Aurora,” Talcott gave a small bow before continuing down the hall.

Gladio noticed that Aurora was not with them. He walked outside of the hotel to find her sitting in a chair, idly reading a pamphlet. “Why are you out here?”

“You guys are dealing with the loss of someone. This is something I’m not a part of, I shouldn’t be involved,” she explained. “It would be insincere to be part of it.”

“Then maybe you should just go back home and leave us be,” Ignis stated from the doors of the hotel. “A little bug like you has no place here.”

“A  _ bug _ ?” Aurora glared at him.

“Small, annoying, encroaching on our space, what’s not to hate?”

“Iggy.” Gladio warned. Ignis huffed and went back inside.

“That was your sister?” Aurora asked quietly. Gladio turned to her. “Iris is her name, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Beautiful name. She has the same fire in her eyes that you do,” Aurora smiled weakly. 

“Got any siblings of your own?” Gladio sat down next to her.

Aurora shook her head. “No. I’m an only child,” she replied, turning her head to where Ignis had been standing. “Though, I’m sure Ignis would have prefered if I didn’t even exist.”

“Don’t worry about him. His ego is just a little bruised,” Gladio reassured her.

“Sure,” Aurora huffed.

“Oh yeah, this kid named Talcott came into our room to talk. He was Jared’s grandkid. Jared was my family’s chamberlain back in Insomnia,” Gladio explained. “He was wearing the amulet you were wearing earlier. Said an angel gave it to him for protection.”

Aurora laughed as her heart swelled. “He needed some hope. I didn’t want him to be afraid of the world. I know what that’s like.” Aurora looked down at her hands. For a moment, Aurora could see blood on her hands. She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again to find the blood gone. “I hope he’s okay.”

“He will be. For now, let the kid be sad.” Gladio got up from his chair. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.”

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that. Ignis gets better eventually lol


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis really doesn't trust Aurora, uh oh.
> 
> Aurora and Gladio have some bonding time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so weird to me because I wrote bits of it in March in the EARLY drafts. It's funny to see those bits finally woven into the finished chapter.  
> Enjoy!

Gladio explained to the group that once Iris was ready, they would take her to Caem. In the meantime, they would do whatever they could to kill some time. 

“Where are we headed now?” Aurora asked as she shuffled into the middle seat.

“We have a few odd jobs we offered to do. Might as well get them done while we’re in the area,” Gladio shrugged.

“Odd jobs,” Aurora repeated. “Cool, that seems easy enough.”

The ride out was quiet. Gladio was reading his book and Noctis was staring out at the scenery. Aurora began to feel uneasy after she caught Ignis staring at her through the rear-view mirror for a third time. She scratched her arm nervously, forgetting what she usually does in a car. 

Luckily for her, the awkward situation didn’t last as Ignis pulled into a station with a motel and a Kenny Crow’s.

“We’re at a station?” Aurora questioned as Ignis parked the car. 

“We gotta give these to a guy named Dave,” Gladio replied, taking something out of his pocket. 

“Dog tags,” Aurora took the tags from him. “He’s still doing that, huh?”

“Hey, I think I see him,” Prompto waved at a man across the street. Aurora squinted to get a better look at the man. Once she recognized it as the man named Dave, she suddenly sprinted across the street. “Whoa! Aurora?” Prompto followed.

“Dave!” Aurora opened her arms wide as she ran up to the man. Dave seemed confused at first but his expression softened when she came in closer view.

“ _ Again? _ ” Ignis sighed as he and the other boys crossed the street.

“Well, ain’t this a surprise,” Dave embraced her. “I heard whispers but didn't think they were true. What’s The Solar Wind doin’ back in business?” 

Aurora giggled as Dave lifted her into the air, “Oh, you know. Same old, same old. Cleaning up other people's messes, ” She teased as Dave put her back down. “How’s your mom doing?”

“Truckin’ along,” Dave crossed his arms. “What’re you doin’ with these boys?”

“I swore an oath to the King of Lucis, they're just helping me out with that,” Aurora put her hands in her pockets. “I’m not sure if you remember the details of our chat before.”

“Oh, I do. Good luck to ya,” Dave pat Aurora on the shoulder before turning to the boys, “You boys’re in good hands. Aurora was an excellent hunter.”

“A hunter?” Prompto’s eyes widened.

“Was?” Gladio raised an eyebrow.

“Stopped huntin’ about, oh, five years ago, was it?” Dave turned to Aurora for confirmation. She nodded. 

“Why’d you stop?” Noctis asked her.

“She stopped because of--” Dave started but Aurora coughed loudly. Dave stopped and turned to Aurora as she gave him a  _ look _ . “Er, personal problems.”

“Yes, thank you for answering a question directed at me,  _ Dave _ ,” Aurora spat his name. “Can you guys go get some supplies or something? I want to talk to Dave alone, please.”

“Alright, we’ll be at the inn if you need us,” Gladio waved as the boys started for the inn. Ignis hung back to listen in on the conversation, making sure he couldn’t be seen.

“It’s good to see you again, Starlight,” Dave hummed affectionately. 

“You shouldn’t call me that anymore, Dave,” Aurora sighed. “Pet names are for relationships.”

“Sorry,” There was an awkward pause before Dave spoke again. “So, you really came out of ‘retirement’ ‘cause of that oath, huh? Never thought I’d see you care so much about anything again. In fact, I never even thought I’d  _ see _ you again.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not like I have a choice,” Aurora huffed. “But that’s not why I wanted to talk to you. You seem well acquainted with these boys and...and I wanted to make sure you don’t say anything about me.”

“My lips are sealed, Starlight,” Dave smiled affectionately. 

Aurora trotted along to the Inn to find Ignis leaning against the wall near the entrance to their room. She tried to ignore him but he stopped her, “It seems you do make a habit of taking advantage of men,  _ Starlight _ .”

“I should slap you for that,” Aurora turned her head to face him, her glare searing into him. “That was a private conversation. You keeping tabs on me or what?” 

"I could ask you the same thing." Ignis sauntered closer to the healer. “What do you have to gain with Dave? What motives could you possibly have? Information from across Lucis, perhaps?” 

Aurora snorted with a smirk, crossing her arms tightly, “Aw, is someone feeling left out?”

“I don’t trust you,” Ignis nearly closed the gap between them, getting right in her face. “What are you hiding, little bug?”

“Wouldn’t  _ you _ like to know,” she sneered, pushing him back. Her hand tingled slightly but she ignored it. “Get out of my face, Crista.”

Aurora began walking into the room the other boys were in, stopping only for a moment when Ignis spoke, “There will be consequences to keeping secrets.”

“Bring it on,” she challenged. 

  
  


Another day goes by and the group is camping out at a haven. The meal was fine as the group began to eat but something was off. Ignis was very quiet. Usually he’d be chatting away with the others but he mostly kept to himself, glancing at Aurora every so often. It made her uneasy as she ate.

Not long after the meal Aurora felt a sharp pain. She clutched her stomach as she felt it contort inside of her. A pain she knew all too well and tried desperately to avoid. Her stomach’s way of telling her she was having an allergic reaction to the food she had consumed ten minutes prior. 

“Hey, Aurora, are you okay?” Prompto leaned over in his chair and reached out to Aurora. 

“No, I need to be alone,” The healer groaned as she got up. As she walked away she glanced at Ignis, who had the gall to make eye contact with her and smirk. Aurora would have punched him in the mouth had she not been in so much pain, so she quickly walked passed him and ran to the river nearby.

By the time she reached the river Aurora nearly collapsed as she vomited whatever she had in her stomach. A colourful array of words left her mouth between the heaving, cursing Ignis. She knew he was the one who poisoned her. 

  
  


“Aurora!” Prompto called as Aurora came back to the campsite. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

"Revenge," she replied quietly.

Aurora walked right past Prompto and made a beeline for Ignis, who wasn’t even paying attention to her. He was too busy having a conversation with Gladio to care about the woman walking toward him with intent to kill. Since he was preoccupied with his conversation, Aurora had little trouble ripping the glasses off of his face.

“Aurora!” He scolded, trying to reach for his glasses. Aurora said nothing as she angrily walked back to the river with Ignis’ glasses in tow. “Aurora! Don’t be such a child!” Ignis called out. The whole group was following her down to the river. A nice audience for the -ahem- spectacle.

Aurora screamed as she threw the glasses as far as she could out into the river. There was a small splashing out in the middle of the river and Aurora could hear Ignis groan. She turned to face the group. Ignis was pinching the bridge of his nose while the others were dumbfounded and thoroughly confused. Aurora started walking toward the boys so she could make her way back to the campsite. “That was incredibly unnecessary, Bug,” Ignis mumbled as she passed him. 

Aurora stopped in her tracks, took a few steps backwards so she was standing in front of Ignis, and punched him in the diaphragm. Everyone gasped, except for Ignis, who let out a strangled groan. “Doesn’t feel so good, does it?” Aurora growled in his ear before storming off.

While Ignis was still moaning and groaning about getting punched, Gladio was worried about the small woman that stormed off into the night alone. “Hey, imma go find Aurora,” he told the group. “It looks like she stormed off into the bush over there.”

“Good riddance,” Ignis mumbled. 

Gladio lightly punched Ignis in the shoulder, “Quit it.” He turned to the younger boys, who hadn’t said much since following the group to the river. “You two get back to camp. Bring Iggy with you.”

“Roger that, big guy,” Prompto saluted Gladio as he made his way to the area Aurora was seen walking into.

Gladio walked through the small forested area close to the campsite in search of Aurora. He was worried about her after she stormed off into the night without so much as a weapon or a light. 

“Aurora!” he called out but no one responded. “Where the hell did that kid run off to?”

More wandering and Gladio could hear the faint sound of music. The music was familiar, a tune he remembered Aurora playing in the imperial base. He tried calling out to her, “Aurora, is that y--shit!” Gladio pulled out his weapon as a swarm of Imps attacked him. “You want some?” He swung his weapon around, hitting all surrounding enemies. One managed to jump out of the way before slicing his arm.

Seemingly out of nowhere, an arrow shot and killed the imp. “What the?” Gladio looked up to see Aurora in the trees with a large bow. She slung the bow over her shoulder before jumping down in front of Gladio.

“Hold this.” Aurora shrugged her kimono cardigan off to reveal dagger holsters on each arm. She threw Gladio her cardigan, unclicked the holsters, and flipped the daggers into her hands in one fluid motion. Everything else was so fast, Gladio had no time to protest. Aurora sliced the imp in front of her while taking out one farther away by throwing one of her daggers. “Duck!” She warned, throwing a dagger in Gladio’s direction. He ducked and the dagger flew above him and killed the last imp that was about to get him from behind. 

The young shield whistled, “Damn.”

Aurora picked up her daggers, reholstering them, before walking back to Gladio. He handed her cardigan back, “Thank you,” she examined Gladio's wounded arm, “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” 

“Eh, it’s no problem,” Gladio shrugged. “I’m actually pretty impressed with how you handled yourself out there. Guess you’re not as vulnerable as I thought.” 

Aurora huffed through her nose with a smile as she picked up her lyre and began to play it. “Will you please keep still for a moment?” 

Gladio obliged and kept still as Aurora continued to play. After only a few short moments, Gladio could feel himself feeling a lot better. He looked down at his wound and saw it healing. “What the hell?” He gasped softly. Aurora finished her little song and Gladio's arm was completely healed. He saw her heal smaller wounds but healing such a large one with only music? Very strange. “Since when could you do that?”

“Since...forever?” Aurora shrugged. “I’m, uh...special. Why do you think Regis has so much faith in me?”

“Huh, who knew a dinky little thing like that could be so powerful,” Gladio chuckled. “Oh yeah, I wanted to ask, what was up with that episode you had?”

“Episode?”

“You threw Iggy’s glasses into the river.”

“Oh. That,” Aurora plucked at a few strings on her lyre to calm her nerves. “I told him the only thing I’m allergic to is onions. He knew this but he put onions in my dish anyway just to make me sick.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” Gladio tried to console her but Aurora laughed dryly.

“Oh, please. We’ve been fighting since he started dying on my doorstep. I wouldn’t put this past him. Pompous asshole,” there was a loud twang of her lyre as she insulted Ignis. “He even  _ smirked _ at me as I ran to the river to throw up. The nerve! He could have killed me, y’know. He didn’t know what kind of allergy I have. You’re friends with an attempted murderer, Gladio.”

“Look, I know you two don’t see eye to eye but you’ll have to be around each other a lot from now on. So, I suggest you try getting along with him,” Gladio sighed heavily as he rubbed his arm, still not believing a little bit of music healed his wound. 

“Fine. I will do my part in trying to be more friendly,” Aurora told him as she got up. “But if he can’t understand that we’re on the same side, then it sucks to be him.” 

Aurora offered her hand to Gladio. He took it and she helped him up.

It didn’t take long for Aurora to notice that something was wrong with Gladio. He was fidgeting and mumbling frustrations. “Hey,” Aurora stopped him once they encountered a large log blocking the path. “Let’s go around, it’ll take too long to get this thing out of the way.”

“Not with that attitude,” Gladio growled as he summoned his weapon and swung it at the large log, wailing a battle cry. Aurora watched wide eyed as the tattooed man desperately hacked away at the innocent log. By the time he was done, he was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead. 

“Okaayyy,” Aurora sighed as she put her hands together and pointed at him with them. “Boy, you have some serious issues you need to deal with.”

“What did you say?” Gladio turned to Aurora, clearly offended.

“Is this about the incident back at the imperial base? Because it wasn’t your fault that guy has super human strength and--”

“What are you, my shrink?” Gladio scoffed. “Solve your own problems with Iggy before diving into mine.”

“Wow, okay, first of all:  _ rude _ ,” Aurora said as she crossed her arms. “Second: getting defensive only proves my point. You’re not what he says, you know.”

“A weak shield,” Glaido repeated the words Ravus had said to him. He sighed as he wiped the sweat from his brow, “Look, I’m sorry I snapped at you, but I can deal with this on my own.”

“While that’s a nice sentiment, you have to learn how to ask for help,” Aurora said softly. “No one is weak for asking for help. That’s my whole job, after all. Helping those who ask for it.”

“Yeah…” Gladio fell silent as he thought for a moment. “I...can you...uh…”

“Yes, Gladio, I will help you,” Aurora giggled with a smile. “I can spar with you if you like. I was a hunter after all.”

“Thanks kid.” Gladio ruffled Aurora’s hair, much to her dismay. “Let’s head back before we run into any more daemons.”

Once the duo were back at camp, Gladio noticed Ignis was not with the boys. “Alright,” he sighed. “Where’s Iggy?”

“Specs went back to the river,” Noctis replied, not looking up from his mobile game.

With a heavy sigh, Gladio turned to Aurora, “Keep an eye on them for me, will you?”

“Sure thing, shield man,” Aurora smiled as she plopped herself down into her seat.

Gladio smiled back before turning and heading back to the river only to find Ignis still mumbling under his breath.

He watched as the advisor took his jacket off and walked toward the river, “Iggy, what the hell are you doing?” He asked with a heavy sigh.

“Fetching my glasses,” Ignis replied simply as he took his shoes off. “I shouldn’t be long.”

Before Ignis could get more than a couple steps into the river, Gladio marched over to him and grabbed his arm, “What’s gotten into you?”

Ignis sneered, “I can’t say I know what you mean.”

“Why’d you do that to Aurora?”

“I don’t trust her!” Ignis ripped his arm out of Gladio’s grasp. “She’s bizarre and nothing adds up. How can she be so young but have been sworn to protect Noct by the King himself? We’ve only heard mention of her once. For all we know, she could be an Imperial spy! She could have killed the real Aurora and took her place. A  _ bug _ in the system. Is that not distressing to you?”

“While that seems a little far-fetched, I’m not saying this whole situation isn’t weird. Just try not to kill her next time, okay?” Gladio huffed, placing a hand on the arm Aurora had healed earlier. Ignis looked away with pursed lips. “Come on, Iggy. You’re usually the one with the level head.” Ignis chose to ignore Gladio’s last statement and turned his attention back to the river, inching his way further in. “You two are a lot alike, you know.”

He whipped around, now knee deep in the river, “How dare you! Do not compare me to that impetuous child! She--” Ignis was cut short by a coughing fit, placing a hand on his abdomen where Aurora punched him. 

“She hit you pretty hard, huh?” There was an amused lilt in Gladio’s voice.

“Shouldn’t you be back at camp with Noct?” Ignis’ voice was a low growl as he continued into the river.

“Whatever,” Gladio shrugged as he let his friend blindly venture into the river. “Try not to get swept up by the river, okay Iggy?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, we know Aurora can fight.   
> The next couple of chapters are gonna be fun :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aurora get some nice bonding time with the boys. Well...most of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I should put a warning for canon typical violence but here it is. WARNING: Mild violence

The next couple of days were agony for Aurora, trying her best to be civil with a man who wouldn’t give her the time of day. She would pick through her food like she was digging for fossils, slowly and meticulously, trying to see if there were any hidden onions Ignis didn’t tell her about. She hadn’t found any since the first time but she couldn’t trust the advisor any longer, which made enjoying her food very hard. 

She would often offer to cook, stating she was pretty decent at it, but Ignis would always decline. She once got up before Ignis to prepare breakfast but Ignis refused to eat it, mumbling about how it was probably poisoned. “If I wanted you dead you’d have died at my doorstep,” she grumbled with a mouth full of food.

Ignis even changed the sleeping arrangements. It used to be that Aurora slept next to Noctis in the tent but he made Aurora change where she was situated, now sleeping in between Prompto and Ignis. Aurora swore she could hear him talking to Gladio about it, saying something along the lines of ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’.

  
  


“Prompto, you promised you’d go fishing with me!” Noctis whined, decked out in his fishing gear. Aurora laughed at the gaudy getup. The large puffy vest he was wearing wasn’t exactly princely attire. 

“Yeah but you also promised to go out and take pictures with me!” Prompto argued. 

“Why don’t you ladies just kill two birds with one stone and do both?” Gladio asked. “Take pictures of Noct fishing or something.”

“I guess.” Prompto shrugged, he turned to Aurora. “Hey, Rory, why don’t you come with us?”

“Rory?” She questioned, not used to people giving her nicknames. “Uh, sure?”

“Great, let’s go!”

Ignis started to get up from his chair, wanting to follow them, but Gladio came up behind him and firmly planted the advisor back in his seat. "You're letting them go with her alone, Iggy," The Shield stated quietly.

"How can you be so trusting?" 

"The princess is old enough to make his own decisions and trust who he needs to," Gladio explained as he massaged Ignis's shoulders. "Loosen up a little, will yah?"

Ignis groaned in both frustration and satisfaction as Gladio massaged a knot in his shoulder. "Then what do you propose we do in the meantime?"

"Let's do that hunt we agreed to do the other day," Gladio patted Ignis's shoulder, indicating he was done his ministrations, and walked over to his bag to find the paper with the hunt information. "If we go now we'll be back before they're done."

"Very well."

The walk to the fishing dock was quiet. Aurora could feel the boys staring at her every so often but whenever she turned to look at them they would quickly look away.  _ Kids _ , she thought. Once at the dock, the boys seemed much more relaxed with her. Aurora sat with her feet in the water posing dramatically as Prompto took pictures and giggled. 

“So, what’s the deal with you and Specs?” Noctis finally asked.

“I dunno,” Aurora shrugged with a sigh. “He thinks I’m suspicious.” 

“But you’re just a kid like us?” Prompto piped up from the other end of the dock.

“While I would agree with you, looks can often be deceiving. Gladio looks like he’s in his thirties, so I can kind of understand where he’s coming from,” Aurora crossed her arms. “But even though I’ve stated that I’ve sworn an oath to the king, he still won’t see me as an equal.”

“Specs isn’t one to believe someone on just their word alone,” Noctis shrugged, reeling in his line to cast it again. “I’d say you should find some solid proof to calm his nerves but…”

“I get it,” Aurora sighed, knowing she wouldn’t be able to get Ignis to check any documents at the Citadel since that whole building, along with most of the Crown City, was destroyed. “Guess I’ll just have to live with him being suspicious of me for the rest of this journey.”

Noctis was about to speak but something pulled on his line, “Hey, I got something!” He called out. Aurora and Prompto huddled behind Noctis to watch him fight the sea creature. “Nnhhgg, it’s really fighting.”

The large fish jumped out of the water for a moment and Aurora gasped. “Fish that huge live here?”

“And I’m about to catch it!” Noctis cried, furiously reeling in his line. “Prompto! Get the camera ready!” Aurora watched with excitement and Noctis pulled out the large fish. It was nearly as big as he was. “H-hey, Rory, can you help me with this?”

“What do I do?” She asked as she approached Noctis.

“Just help me hold it up for the photo.”

Aurora nodded and held onto the metal bit that Noctis was holding up. They smiled for the camera but once they heard the click of the photo being taken the monster of a fish started writhing around and knocked the duo back and into the water. 

“Uh oh,” Prompto peered into the water as two resurfaced. He suppressed a laugh. “You two okay?”

“Did you at least get the shot?” Noctis grumbled. 

“Oh yeah, it looks great!” Prompto beamed. “I also got a shot of you guys falling off the dock.”

“Great,” Noctis pulled himself out of the water. He offered his hand to Aurora. “Need a hand?”

“Thanks,” she smiled as she took his hand. 

The group walked back to the haven, a few fish in tow, and their shoes making disgusting squelching sounds. Gladio waved them down, “Took you guys long enough. We went and did a small job without you.”

“What was it?” Aurora asked, ringing out her hair.

“Just taking out a few Spiracorn, no biggie,” Gladio shrugged. Ignis was silent but Aurora could see a small laceration under his eye.

“Oh, Ignis, you’re hurt,” She pointed to the small wound on his cheek. “Let me heal that for you.” Aurora brought up her lyre and played a soothing tune. The wound was gone in a matter of seconds.

“Hn,” Ignis huffed.

“A simple ‘thank you’ would suffice,” Aurora crossed her arms.

“Yes, well, forgive me if I feel that you don’t deserve my thanks,  _ Bug _ ,” Ignis turned and started walking away from Aurora.

“You fucking asshole,” Aurora was about to kick him in the rear when Gladio wrapped a strong arm around her waist to keep her from moving. She flailed in his grasp, “Never forgiven! Never!”

“Remember what I said before,” Gladio sighed, “Try to get along.”

“This is a two way street, Crista!!” Aurora bellowed, hoping Ignis heard it.

  
  
  


The next morning, Aurora was roused from her sleep by something shaking her lightly. She swatted at the thing but it kept shaking her. “Nhg,” she groaned, sitting up to find Gladio looming over her, smiling broadly. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah, you can get up and spar with me,” he replied as he stood up and left the tent. “Come on, let’s go.”

Aurora rolled her eyes but complied to his demands, grabbing her backpack and walking out of the tent. “Are we doing it here at the haven?” She yawned.

“Nah, we’ll spar by the water,” Gladio pointed to the river. “Let me see more of that fighting you did the other night!”

Aurora looked down at herself as they made their way to the river, she was still wearing an oversized T-shirt and tiny shorts that didn’t leave much to the imagination. “Can I change before we spar?”

“Fine, make it quick,” Gladio crossed his arms. Aurora took off her shirt and Gladio immediately felt heat rise in his cheeks. “Do...do you want me to turn around or…?”

“I’m wearing a sports bra, I’m not naked,” Aurora laughed as she slipped her regular tank top on. “Does seeing a naked girl get you all flustered?”

“I mean,” Gladio coughed, averting his eyes. “Depends on the girl.”

“I’m flattered?” Aurora laughed. “Seriously, you don’t have to be embarrassed. It’s just a naked body. You also have one.”

“That’s  _ different _ .” Gladio summoned his weapon. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re flirting with me.”

“Then I guess you don’t know any better,” Aurora laughed as she took her daggers out of her bag. “Alright, let’s do this!”

“Don’t hold back!” Gladio yelled as he ran toward Aurora. He swung his greatsword at her but she dodged it by jumping out of the way and over Gladio’s head. She landed behind him and hit him with the hilt of her dagger, not wanting to actually hurt him.

“Gotta be quicker,” she teased. She was going to hit him again but a large shield appeared in front of her to keep her from getting to him. “Well, this just won’t do.”

She threw one of her daggers into the air. Gladio looked up to see the falling dagger and blocked it with his shield to keep it from hitting him, but that left him open for Aurora to swoop in. She kicked the back of his knees and Gladio fell.

Aurora put a dagger to his throat. “I win,” she huffed, out of breath.

“Damn,” Gladio winced at how easily he went down. 

Aurora offered him her hand. “Ready for the real thing?”

“Hm?”

“That was just a warmup,” Aurora winked. “Right?”

Gladio smiled as he took Aurora’s extended hand. “Right.”

An hour had passed and the sparring duo were sweaty and full of blood and dirt. Aurora had taught Gladio a few tricks she knew and he was able to evade most of her attacks by that point. “I think...I think we’re done,” Aurora wheezed. 

“Yeah,” Gladio agreed, sitting down. “Where’d you learn to fight like that?”

“Eh, here and there,” Aurora shrugged as she sat beside him. “I’ve travelled around, learning how to fight from others.”

“Well, I’d be happy to continue this if you’re up for it,” Gladio nudged her. “Maybe we can go out to eat after?”

“Whoa there, buddy. What did I tell you about you not knowing any better.”

“I know, I’m just havin’ fun,” Gladio chuckled. “You’re pretty cute, though.”

“You don’t wanna go on a date with me. I’m nothing but trouble.”

“What if I like trouble?” Gladio hummed. Aurora snorted a laugh and she shoved him.

“Hah! You’re funny,” she giggled. “Come on, let's get back to the others.”

“Yeah, Iggy should be done making breakfast by now,” Gladio stated as he got up. 

Aurora inhaled sharply, “Hey, you know what? Maybe you should take me out for breakfast. A little friend date wouldn’t hurt.”

“Don’t want to eat Iggy’s cooking?” Gladio laughed. Aurora vigorously shook her head. “Alright, you and I can go to Kenny Crow’s just down the road.”

“Just remember, this isn’t a  _ date _ .”

“Well, then I guess you’re paying for your own meal.”

Aurora and Gladio were having a nice meal until the shield got a phone call from Ignis. He took the call outside but Aurora was still able to hear Gladio trying to reason with Ignis. She played with her food as Gladio came back into the diner. “Wow, Iggy really doesn’t like that we’re hanging out.”

“Probably thinks I’m going to brainwash you,” Aurora snorted. 

“Well,  _ are _ you?” Gladio smirked as he sat on the stool next to Aurora.

“Why, yes, Gladio. I’m brainwashing you to do my bidding,” Aurora stated with sarcastic enthusiasm. “Why else would I be out here risking my life to help the prince? It’s all a long con so you’d buy me this meal.”

Gladio let out a hardy laugh, “Seems to be working,” he smiled as he pulled out a handful of gil to pay for the food.

“Hey, wait, I was joking,” Aurora stopped Gladio from paying by placing a hand over his. “Don’t pay for my food. I can pay for it myself.”

“I want to.”

“Yeah, well, I  _ don’t _ want you to,” Aurora rubbed her temples. “The last thing I need is Ignis thinking I fucked one of his best friends.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Gladio swiveled in his stool to fully face the healer. “I’m not paying for your food so you’ll sleep with me, kid. I just want to be nice. The flirting is all in good fun, you made that very clear.”

“I know, I’m not accusing you of trying to get into my pants. It’s just…” she paused. “Ignis has been very suspicious of my friendships with men.”

“Wow, never thought he’d get upset over something like that,” Gladio mumbled to himself. “He’s...not usually like this.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Aurora groaned, stuffing her face with fries. “I just want to stab him in his stupid face.”

“Please don’t.”

“If I keep helping you train will you look the other way one day when I stab him?” Aurora used her best puppy dog eyes, batting her eyelashes with a pouty lip. 

“Oof, don’t look at me like that or I really will be brainwashed,” Gladio pushed her face away with a chuckle. “And no. You’re gonna help me out of the goodness of your heart.”

“Saw through my guise, did you?” Aurora stuck her tongue out in defeat. “Alright, but don’t be surprised if I beat the shit out of him one day.”

That night, Aurora and the boys took on a job to hunt down some daemons causing a ruckus in the area. Everything was going well with the group until Aurora nearly sliced Ignis’s chest open while fighting one of the daemons.

“Whose side are you on?” Ignis growled.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Aurora stated sarcastically. “I couldn’t differentiate your ugly mug from the daemons. My bad.”

“That makes two of us. I’m sure you’d fit right in with a group of Naga.”

“Say that again, I  _ dare _ you,” Aurora turned her full attention to Ignis. 

"Hmm, deaf and the looks of a Naga. How unfortunate," Ignis mused to himself.

“You wanna go, Crista? I can destroy you.” Aurora readied herself for a fight against the bespectacled man in front of her.

“Uh, guys?” Prompto interjected as he shot another daemon. “Not the best time for fighting.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Ignis sneered, ignoring what Prompto had to say. 

Aurora’s eye twitched as she shrugged her kimono cardigan off. Prompto shrieked as Aurora tackled Ignis to the ground. “Guys!” Prompto tried to flag down Gladio and Noctis, who had been separated from the group while fighting daemons. “Help! Iggy and Rory are fighting! I don’t know what to do!” He ran to find the others, leaving Ignis and Aurora to kill each other in peace.

“Why do you hate me so much?!” Aurora yelled as Ignis rolled to try and pin her to the ground. She kicked him off of her and tried stabbing him with one of her daggers. Ignis caught her wrist, fighting against her to keep the dagger from piercing his skin. “Answer me!”

“I don’t answer to you!” Ignis grabbed Aurora’s lyre with his free hand and threw it as far as he could.

“My lyre!” Aurora was momentarily distracted so Ignis was able to use her weapon against her, pushing on her wrist so the hilt of her dagger made contact with her nose. “Ahg! Fuck!”

Aurora swung her dagger wildly until she felt it hit something. Ignis cried out and pushed her away. The duo stared at each other for a moment, Aurora with a bloody nose and Ignis with a large gash in his cheek. The silence between them didn’t last as a horde of imps ambushed them, forcing them back to back. “Great, what do we do now?” Aurora asked. She licked her lips, tasting her own blood as it continued to drip from her nose.

“Why don’t you just do what you always seem to do? Use your lyre to push the daemons away as an easy way out,” Ignis scoffed.

“It’s not the ‘easy way out’ you fucking buffoon. It’s called working smarter, not harder,” Aurora shot back. “And I would do that if SOMEBODY DIDN’T THROW MY LYRE A MILLION MILES AWAY!!”

Ignis pulled out a spell. “Might as well get them all at once and be done with this riff raff.”

“Bad idea, we’re right in the middle and--” Aurora saw that Ignis had already thrown the spell. “Ignis, no!” It was a harsh ice spell. The wind picked up and was bone chilling, not great for Aurora, who was wearing very thin clothing. She ran to grab her cardigan from the ground while the daemons were distracted. 

She looked back to see the daemons attacking Ignis. She didn’t do anything to help him, just watched as he fought most of them off, getting hurt a few times in the process. She ignored the scene and turned to go find her lyre. 

Once Aurora returned to the scene, the ice spell had worn off and Ignis was heaving in the middle of the field, the daemons slain. “You did that on purpose,” He furrowed his brow.

“I can’t say I know what you are referring to,” Aurora shrugged with feigned ignorance. 

“You know bloody well what I am referring to!” Ignis yelled. “You let those daemons attack me while you just watched!”

“Well, maybe you just aren’t as competent as you think you are,” Aurora smirked as she leaned against a tree. 

“Speaking to me in such a manner will not end well for you.”

Aurora snorted in amusement as she wiped away some of the blood dripping from her nose, “What are you gonna do?”

Ignis summoned his daggers and threw one in Aurora’s direction. The dagger sunk itself into the tree Aurora was leaning against mere inches away from her face. She felt the wind it created as it sped through the air. One of her braids fell to the ground, severed from the rest of her hair. 

Aurora was frozen wide eyed, staring at the man who nearly killed her. “Consider that a warning.”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Gladio bellowed as he walked into the scene, Prompto and Noctis in tow. “You two need to cool off.”

Prompto walked over to Aurora, who had sunk to the ground, eyes still wide with her hand covering her mouth. “Rory? Are you okay?”

“What the hell, Specs,” Noctis grumbled. 

“My actions were justified,” Ignis replied simply.

“W-what do you mean ‘justified’?” Aurora asked with a shaky voice. She got up off the ground and began walking closer to Ignis. “You could have killed me! For the second time, might I add.”

“How do we know you’re not an Imperial spy?” Ignis accused. “We may not be safe with you around.”

Aurora scoffed, “Is that what you’ve been worried about? That I’m a fucking spy?  _ That’s _ why you hate me?”

“Not to mention whoring yourself out to older men for information is just repulsi--” Aurora slapped Ignis across the face before he could finish his sentence, further upsetting his wound. 

The boys gasped as the world almost felt like it fell silent around them. “You know NOTHING about me.” Aurora spun on her heel and started walking away. “Get FUCKED, Crista!”

Gladio shoved Ignis’s shoulder so that they were facing each other. “Go apologize,” he growled.

“Absolutely not.” Ignis refused, crossing his arms. 

“Look, I don’t care how insincere you want it to sound, just make the effort. I’m tired of hearing you two bicker every day.” Gladio ran his hand through his hair. “Now get your ass over there.”

Ignis mumbled profanities as he walked through the small wooded area Aurora had run into. He was not happy about what he had to do. He shouldn’t have been the one to apologize. He was only looking out for Noct’s well being! This girl was suspicious and having her around Noct made him uneasy.

He stopped his mumblings when he heard sobbing and a familiar voice that wasn’t Aurora’s.

“Hey darlin’, why’re you cryin’?” The voice asked. It was slightly muffled, like it was on the other end of a phone. Ignis crept closer to the source of the voice and found Aurora huddled against a tree, knees held tightly against her chest, as she cried. Her phone was in front of her on the ground, most likely on speaker.

“I’m having an awful time, Wiz,” Aurora sobbed again. “That guy I was with is making everything so much harder than it needs to be!”

“So, did you find the guy you were looking for?”

“Yeah,” Aurora sniffed. “But Ignis doesn’t trust me. He poisoned me, Wiz. On purpose! He threw his weapons at me! He keeps calling me a bug...”

“I’m so sorry, darlin’,” Wiz sounded very sympathetic. “Maybe it’s time to tell them abou--”

“No!” Aurora interrupted Wiz. “I’m sick of that whole song and dance.”

“You know yer just makin’ things harder on yourself by not telling them.”

Aurora sobbed. “I just...I just want to disappear.”

“Oh, darlin’, don’t talk like that. It’ll get better, just you wait.” Wiz sounded optimistic. “He just needs time to warm up to you, is all. I know I sure did.”

Aurora laughed. “I don’t think he’ll warm up to me. He thinks I fuck older men for gain.”

There was a hearty laugh on the other end of the line. “By the Gods, is that what it looks like? I’m sorry darlin’,” Wiz laughed. There was a short pause before he spoke again, “Do you remember that time I was worried about a wild chocobo chick being harassed by the other wildlife?”

“Yeah?”

“That was around the time we first met. You were a spunky little thing. A real firecracker,” Wiz laughed lightly. “When I told you about that little chocobo, you stopped at nothing to make sure the little guy was safe. Nearly got yourself killed!”

“What does this have to do with my current situation?” Aurora asked.

“While, I’ll admit, you were a bit much for me at first, you really made an impression on me with how much you cared about keeping others safe,” Wiz explained. “Once that boy sees how much you truly care, I’m sure he’ll lighten up.”

“Yeah...I hope so,” Aurora sighed as she got up from the ground. “Thank you for the call, Wiz.”

“Anytime, darlin’,” Wiz said affectionately. “Take care now.”

“Bye.”

“What are you not telling us?” Ignis asked quietly. Once he saw that Aurora was making her way back to camp he backed up as much as he could to make it look like he was just coming up to the scene instead of being there the whole time. 

“What are  _ you _ doing here?” She asked dryly once she noticed him several feet away from her.

Ignis cleared his throat before speaking. “I apologize for drawing my weapon on you and the accusations I uttered.” It sounded more like a rehearsed speech than an apology. Aurora rolled her eyes and walked past him.

“Thanks or whatever,” she mumbled. “Sorry for stabbing you in the face, I guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, the fighting got violent.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang finally gets some answers about Aurora's past, much to her dismay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Exposition City.  
> When it comes to the plot, we like our characters chatty and our hands held tightly.
> 
> Also, remember when this was supposed to be a soulmate au? We get into that finally.

“Tell me again why we’re going to Galdin Quay?” Aurora asked from the back of the Regalia. Noctis was driving so she was sitting in the middle seat between Gladio and Ignis.

“We are finishing up an errand that was asked of us,” Ignis replied. He repositioned himself in his seat, accidentally hitting his knee against Aurora’s. She immediately recoiled from the accidental touch. “The man who gave us the errand is usually situated in Galdin Quay on the other side of the Mother of Pearl.”

“Mother of Pearl?”

“A restaurant and hotel,” Ignis replied. “Never been?”

“Uh, no? Maybe?” Aurora sank in her seat. “It’s been a while? I dunno.”

“Almost there,” Noctis stated after the Regalia emerged from a tunnel. 

Once Aurora’s eyes adjusted to the light, she could see a large pier on a beautiful beach in the distance. “Wow.” Her eyes lit up. “So that’s a restaurant?”

“Indeed, it’s quite lovely,” Ignis said with a smile.

“Perfect for a photo op!” Prompto waved his camera in the air. “Whaddaya say, Noct?”

“Yeah, I’m down,” Noct said as he pulled the car over to the side of the road. “Everybody out!”

The boys piled out of the car to pose for a group photo but Aurora stayed in the car. With everything that was happening between her and Ignis, she didn’t exactly feel like part of the group. What was the point of trying to get them to like her anyway? There was no way they’d-- 

“Hey, Rore!” Gladio bellowed from where the boys had gathered. “Better hurry up if you want to be in the picture!”

Aurora perked up, surprised at Gladio’s statement. “Huh?” She got out of the car and began walking toward them. “You actually want me in the shot?”

“Why not?” Noctis shrugged.

“Yeah, you’ve been with us for a while. This’ll be a great memory,” Prompto smiled as he got the tripod ready. Once he got it into position he urged Aurora to follow him into the shot. “Come on!”

“Smile,” Gladio said as everyone posed. 

_ Click _

Prompto immediately ran back to look at the photo. “Whoa. Love the lighting!” He smiled as he showed everyone the photo. 

It was a cute photo of everyone in the bottom left as to not obscure the scenery in the background. Everyone was smiling and almost looked happy to be together. Aurora couldn’t help but smile when she looked at it.

“We ought to hold on to this one,” Ignis smiled as he gazed at the photo.

“Surprising,” Aurora mumbled.

“Pardon?” Ignis turned to her.

“Nothing, I just,” Aurora scratched her arm, “I didn’t think you’d enjoy a photo with me in it.”

“Perhaps I would enjoy it more if you didn’t keep secrets,” Ignis sighed. While his voice wasn’t hostile, Aurora still didn’t like his tone.

“My personal problems are none of your business, Crista,” she sneered as she made her way back to the Regalia.

“That was the most friendly interaction I’ve ever seen between them!” Prompto whispered to Gladio but it was loud enough for the whole group to hear.

“Well, we might as well make the most of our time here,” Aurora shrugged as the group walked onto the docks behind the Mother of Pearl. She breathed in the sea breeze and let it out with a hefty sigh. “It’s been years since I came here. It’s changed so much.”

“Years,” Gladio repeated with a laugh. “Makes you sound like an old woman.”

“Gran?” The group heard a voice close by. Aurora’s eyes widened and she turned to find a young man walking towards them. “Gran, it’s you!” The young man with silver hair smiled brightly at Aurora before bringing her into a hug. “I haven’t seen you in years!”

“By the Gods. Dino, sweetie,” Aurora hugged the young man, her grip tightening not wanting to let go. 

“What’s happening?” Prompto whispered. “Why is Dino calling Aurora ‘Gran’?”

“I...have no idea,” Noctis scratched the back of his head.

“It’s happening again,” Ignis rolled his eyes. 

Gladio elbowed him harshly, “Quit it.”

“You’ve grown since I last saw you,” Aurora mused as she pulled away from Dino, placing her hands on either side of his face. She traced his features, studying them. “You’re such a handsome man. When did that happen?”

Dino chuckled, resting his hands on Aurora’s wrists, gently stroking his thumbs against her soft skin, “Like always, you never change. Did you like the jewelry I sent you last week?”

“Of course!” Aurora showcased the locks of her hair that had been braided, pieces of beautiful silver clasping onto the woven strands. “Everything you send me is so beautiful, I always have a hard time picking which ones to wear out.”

Ignis was growing tired of the conversation being held in front of him and coughed loudly and obviously to get their attention. While Aurora only sneered in his direction, Dino looked at them curiously, “Since when do you hang out with the young folk, Gran? Let alone the young prince.” He motioned toward the boys and Aurora sighed, brushing away a Beans feather that was woven into one of her braids. 

“So, you’ve met this group before?” 

“Eh, they scratch my back, I scratch theirs,” Dino smirked while placing a hand on his hip. “How do you boys know my Gran?”

“She’s helping us out with a problem we’ve run into,” Noctis crossed his arms, “I guess back scratching runs in the family?”

“Yeah, why do you keep calling her Gran?” Prompto piped up, unable to wait any longer for an answer. “Is that an inside joke or something?”

“Nah, sweet little Aurora here-” Dino pat Aurora harshly on the back before bringing her close to him, “-is my grandmother.”

Aurora started frantically covering Dino’s mouth, “Lies! Slander!” She turned to the boys. “He’s joking.”

“Gran, what’s gotten into you?” Dino laughed as he pushed the frantic woman off of him. “What? You embarrassed to be related to me? That hurts me, Gran. Right here.” He placed a hand over his chest.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Noctis placed a hand on his hip before motioning to Aurora, “I mean, look at her. She could maybe pass off being a toddler’s mother but not  _ your _ grandmother.”

“Yeah, this is all real cute,” Gladio chuckled. “You two dating or what?”

“Oh gross,” Aurora wretched, scrunching her nose.

Dino turned to Aurora who immediately looked away from him, her mouth pressed together harshly to form a thin line. Instead of explaining herself, she just played with the loose curls of her hair. He leaned in with his arms crossed, “So, you haven’t told them yet.”

“What do you mean ‘yet’? I wasn’t  _ going _ to tell them but  _ somebody _ showed up out of nowhere,” she finally met Dino’s gaze, their noses nearly touching, “and started calling a seemingly young woman their ‘grandmother’.”

Gladiolus crossed his arms. “What does ‘seemingly’ mean?”

“She may look young but these looks can be deceiving, my friend,” Dino explained. “Y’see, it all started when--”

Dino was cut off by Aurora leaping onto his back and planting her hand over his mouth. “No!” She squawked. “No more information!”

“Will someone please just explain what’s going on?!” Prompto cried, running his hands down his face. “I’m even more confused than when we got here!”

“Gladly,” Dino smiled as he shrugged Aurora off of his back and hugged her close to him. Her colourful words were muffled by his suit jacket.

“Dino,” Aurora warned but he was already speaking by that time. 

“Y’see, Gran is a special case. I’ve known her my whole life and she hasn’t aged a day. A strange phenomenon, really,” Dino hummed to himself as he thought about Aurora’s situation. “Probably because she’s from a different--”

“Enough!” Aurora pushed herself off of Dino. She took a few deep breaths and rubbed her temples to calm down. “Dino, can we talk in private?” She finally managed to utter calmly. 

“Yeah,” he turned to the boys, who were muttering amongst themselves, “excuse us, gentlemen. Gran and I need to have a private chat.”

“So...does that mean she’s actually old?” Prompto asked. “Like,  _ really _ old?”

“Who’s to say for sure,” Ignis crossed his arms in thought. “This all seems rather far-fetched.”

“Well, it sure does explain anything worth being suspicious over. Right, Iggy?” Gladio leaned in close to Ignis to get his point across. Ignis gave him a side eyed glance but kept quiet.

“Is that why everyone knows her?” Prompto asked. “What do you think of all this, Noct?”

“I...don’t know,” Noctis sighed. “If this is true then maybe she was closer to my father than I thought.”

Once Aurora and Dino were somewhere she knew the others wouldn’t hear, she turned to face Dino and punched him in the shoulder. “Ow, hey! What was that for?” He placed his hand on the sore spot. 

“Did it ever occur to you that maybe I didn’t want them to know about this?” Aurora hissed. “People don’t take well to information like this. You  _ know  _ that!  _ You lived that _ !”

“Geez, Gran, lighten up a little,” Dino sighed. “Weird shit happens all the time, you don’t think these guys are gonna believe that you’re actually super old?”

“That’s not the point!” Aurora’s voice was a harsh whisper. “The point is that they didn’t need to know in the first place. It’s useless information that’s only going to further complicate things while I’m with them. Do you know how many questions they’re going to ask me? Uhg, I can hear it now: ‘how old are you?’, ‘Are you immortal?’, ‘if I stab you right now will you survive?’ Uuhhhhgggggg, Dinoooo.” Aurora pouted as her head fell into Dino’s chest. She could feel him laugh as he brought her tighter into a warm embrace. 

“You just don’t want those fine, mostly eligible, bachelors to know you’re an old crone.” He chided.

Aurora placed her hands on Dino’s chest and pushed herself away from him with a disapproving scowl, “Excuse me?” She flipped her hair in a huff. “First of all: rude. Second: what the hell does that mean?”

"It means I can tell that you’re enjoying being the only woman," Dino smirked. “Being the only woman means zero competition, right Gran?”

"Oh please," Aurora scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I don't date. We've had this conversation before. Everyone is too young for me, they'll age without me, and frankly I'm too callused to care."

Dino exhaled through his nose with an amused smirk and a shake of his head. "No need to be embarrassed. I won't make you being a cradle robber my new scoop," he laughed when Aurora started to blush. “What did you used to say to me? _ ‘It’s better to have loved and lost than to have been a little bitch, what the hell were you thinking? Now get out there and go get her Dino!’ _ .”

“Oof, did I say that?” Aurora sucked in a sharp cringe filled breath through her teeth. “I need to reevaluate my parenting skills.”

“To be fair, you’re a grandma, so the usual parenting rules don’t apply to you,” Dino laughed.

"See, this is why I stopped visiting," she mumbled as she crossed her arms. “I’m a bad influence.”

"You big liar," there was a pause as Dino's smile slowly faded before asking his next question. One he was almost afraid to ask, "Why  _ did _ you stop visiting? Even Ma's been worried about you, y'know. We all have."

Aurora laughed dryly, “Really? She’s worried about me? Colour me surprised.”

“Come on, Gran,” Dino sighed.

Aurora bit her lip and looked down at her feet, "I'll tell you later, okay? Not when the guys are waiting for me," she lifted her head to meet Dino's worried gaze, "will you still be here tonight?"

"’Course I will." Dino gave Aurora one last hug. “And do me a favour. Tell the boys your story. They’re bound to find out eventually. ‘Specially if you’re gonna be travelling with them for a while.”

“Fine.” Aurora hugged him back. “But you’re grounded.”

Dino threw his head back in laughter. 

  
  


“So,” Noctis began as the group made their way to the haven they were going to camp at for the night, “You really are the woman my father was telling us about.”

“Mhm,” Aurora crossed her arms and stared at her feet. 

“Why did you lie?” Ignis slowed his pace so he was walking beside Aurora. She scoffed at his question.

“Oh please, don’t act like you’re hurt that I lied to you,” she snapped. When the boys fell silent she sighed and loosened up a little. “People don’t take kindly to the unknown or choose to believe it doesn't exist. It’s easier to lie than to tell people the truth when it comes to my, um, circumstance. Besides, I never technically lied.”

“Well, can I just say, you’re the hottest grandma I’ve ever met.” Gladio winked at Aurora and she laughed.

“So, how old are you, anyway?” Prompto asked as he sat beside Aurora in the folding chairs. 

“Take a guess.”

“Hmm, 70?” When Aurora shook her head he tried again, “80?” Aurora shook her head once more and pointed upward. There was a back and forth of guessing her age for another few minutes before Noctis decided he had enough.

“Just tell us already, I gotta know!” He whined, throwing his hands up in the air. 

“Fine. I’m 228 years old,” Aurora stated as she crossed her arms. Prompto spit out his drink. 

“WHAT?”

“What caused this phenomenon?” Ignis crossed his arms and furrowed his brow in thought. “A human living this long without aging is unheard of. That is, of course, if you  _ are _ human.”

Aurora rolled her eyes at his accusation, “Yes, I am very much human. Just...not one that you’re used to.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Gladio asked as he sat down with the group. 

Aurora rolled her head back and groaned loudly, wishing she didn’t have to explain something so foreign and convoluted to the boys. “To put it simply, I’m from a different dimension. I came to this dimension 204 years ago. My body doesn’t age because, where I am from, you stop aging at 18 years of age until you find what is called your ‘soulmate’. Once you find them, your body starts to age so the two of you can grow old together.” 

Gladio laughed loudly, “What kind of dumb shit is that?”

“Excuse me?”

“That sounds like some sort of romance novel bullshit.”

“Not to mention how inherently flawed the logic is,” Ignis added. “Having someone already picked out for you doesn't seem very romantic. Are you automatically supposed to love this ‘soulmate’? Keeping track of family members would also be a nightmare.”

Aurora rolled her eyes at the men. “Look, you don’t have to like it, you just have to accept it! My body doesn’t work like yours. You people just age no matter what, you don’t have the burden of having to find your ‘one true love’,” she scoffed. “You can just live your life and die of old age. No convoluted bullshit is holding you back.”

“Your story doesn’t exactly add up,” Ignis commented. “You say you are 228 years of age but came here 204 years ago. If that’s true then you would have been 24 when you arrived.”

“Good job, you know basic math. What’s your point?”

“You would have been aging until you arrived here, you’re clearly not a teenager in appearance.”

“You’re absolutely right. I  _ was _ aging. I was one of the lucky few who found my soulmate at an early age,” Aurora slouched in her chair, her crossed arms tightening around her chest. “Not that hard to figure out.”

“Then, where’s your soulmate?” Prompto looked around as everyone was silent. 

Aurora pursed her lips before answering, “He died.”

Another bout of silence washed over the group before Gladio spoke, “Shit, Aurora, I’m sorry.”

“So, when someone’s soulmate dies you just live forever?” Noctis scratched his head. “That’s so dumb.”

“When a soulmate dies, a new one takes their place. Usually with the same values and similarities to your last one since they harbour the same soul. It takes a while, though. They have to be reborn while you wait, unaging, for them to at least turn 18 when their biological aging naturally stops,” Aurora shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Or at least, that’s how it’s supposed to go.”

“How do you know when you’ve found your soulmate?” Promto asked.

“It’s...difficult to explain. It happens when you touch them,” Aurora looked at her hand. “You just know.” 

“So, why haven’t you found your soulmate yet?”

“And why are you here in this dimension?”

“Will you live forever?”

Emotions she wished to keep hidden were resurfacing rapidly with the amount of questions flying around. She tried as hard as she could to contain them. A failed attempt.

“I don’t know, I don’t know, I DON’T KNOW!!” She cried, getting up from her seat. “I came here a long time ago, I don’t remember how I got here. There was an accident, or something, and I ended up here. Now I’m stuck. I just remember searching for my soulmate for YEARS! I traveled this damn world twice over with a fine tooth comb and I couldn’t find them. I didn’t want to believe it but I’ll probably never find my soulmate ever again. You people in this dimension don’t play by my rules so I’m left here alone to live my cursed immortal life. My humble wish of growing old with someone I love died with my husband. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to be alone.”

Aurora began walking out into the night but Prompto called out to her, “R-Rory wait, there’s daemons out there! You could get hurt!”

“Oh, Crista would just LOVE that,” Aurora bellowed before walking out of earshot. 

  
  


Aurora inhaled the salty air deep into her lungs before exhaling loudly, a strained groan coming from deep in her throat. She hugged her knees close to her chest, watching the tide come in, nearly touching her bare feet. She tried to remember how she got to her current dimension but all she could remember were fuzzy shapes, running, enemies surrounding her, darkness...death.

“This seat taken?” Aurora turned to find Gladio standing behind her. She shook her head and turned back to the ocean, watching the luminous fish as they swam. Gladio sat beside her and huffed, “Hey, I’m sorry we got you all riled up back there. Seems like that was a sensitive topic.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry I yelled,” Aurora’s voice was muffled by her knees. “This is why I don’t tell people how old I actually am...and that I don’t age. Dino fucked everything up for me.”

“Aw, don’t be so hard on him. He’s your grandson, after all, isn’t he?” Gladio playfully nudged her. 

“He is and I love him more than anything but he’s a little shit that spilled my secret without batting an eye. I’m gonna have some choice words for him when we meet up later tonight,” Aurora ran her hands through her hair. “Speaking of which, I should probably start heading back to the Mother of Pearl. He’s waiting for me there.”

“It is pretty unbelievable that someone can just stop aging when they haven’t found their soulmate,” Gladio mused as he and Aurora stood up and started walking back to the haven. “Kinda really stupid when you think about it. What happens when you’re, like, physically super old and your soulmate dies and you find them 18 years later. What happens in that situation?”

With a chuckle, Aurora stuffed her hands in her pockets, “Yeah, it’s all super convoluted and dumb, I agree. I have no idea what would happen in a situation like that, I didn’t have enough time in that dimension to really find out.”

“Oh yeah, I guess you were only there for 24 years, huh?”

“Mhm,” Aurora kicked a small pebble along the shoreline, “A lot of the details from my original home are really fuzzy. I haven’t been there in so long.”

“Well, no point in dwelling on it now. Time to make some new memories with us!” Gladio gave Aurora a hardy pat on the shoulder, nearly knocking her off balance as they approached the haven. The boys all turned their heads to greet them as Gladio sat back down in one of the folding chairs, “We’re friends now. Friends make memories together.”

Aurora laughed lightly, trying to hide her solemn look. She wanted to say something but couldn’t bring herself to.  _ I don’t make friends anymore _ , she thought,  _ they just grow old and die without me _ . As much as she wanted to shoot them down in trying to be her friend, she couldn’t. “Right. Friends.” Aurora pursed her lips and looked away for a moment before turning back to the boys, “Welp, I’m gonna go see Dino. He’s probably been waiting for me for a while now. I’ll be back in a bit, okay?”

“Don’t be too late,” Ignis urged.

“ _ Perish the thought _ ,” Aurora mocked in Ignis’ accent. She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a piece of paper, folding it a couple times to be able to fit into the pocket of her pants. “See you guys soon.” She waved before turning on her heel and walking back to the Mother of Pearl.

  
  


“Do you really think she’s from another world?” Prompto asked once Aurora was out of earshot.

“Why not? What would she gain from lying about that?” Noctis shrugged as he continued to play King’s Knight on his phone. “Besides, we ran into Y’jhimei once. She’s from another world.”

“Hey, you’re right! Man, I totally forgot about that!”

Gladio chuckled in amusement as he remembered the tiny cat woman being stuck under her colossal chocobo. His chuckling stopped once he noticed Ignis was not joining in the conversation, instead seeming deep in thought. 

“She saved my life and I try to kill her in return,” he mumbled to himself, completely inaudible to everyone around him. “I thought she was an Imperial spy…”

Gladio leaned over in his chair and tapped on Ignis’ arm, “Something on your mind, Iggy?”

“Hm? Oh, I was just thinking I should probably keep an eye on Aurora. It can be quite dangerous at night.”

“You’ve seen her fight, she can handle herself,” Galdio shrugged it off and took out his phone to play with Noctis. 

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather make sure she’s doing alright,” Ignis got up from his seat, “Take care of the children while I’m gone.”

“Yes dear,” Gladio teased. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, that was a lot.
> 
> This ain't your grandma's soulmate au! It's Dino's grandma's au lol


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks, emotions, getting drunk, and some nice banter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!!  
> This chapter contains mentions of and a conversation about suicide.

(flashback) 

Aurora walked down the halls of the Citadel, something she hadn’t done in a long time. With her hands still in her pockets, she lightly pushed the doors to the throne room open with her foot. There waiting for her was the King himself, holding a small wrapped bundle. 

“Hey, Reggie, long time no see,” Aurora called with a smug look. “Looking older, I see.”

“While I know that’s quite the compliment, coming from you, I still seem to have trouble seeing it as such,” Regis sighed but kept a smile as his old friend sauntered ever closer. Her hair was a mess of short wind blown curls and small braids adorned with Griffon feathers all tied up in a makeshift bun. Regis remembers taking on the beast the feathers had belonged to, plucking them from the monster and giving them to Aurora as a gift. “It’s good to see you, Aurora.”

“Likewise,” Aurora stopped in front of Regis and folded her arms. “How’s the family? I heard you had a baby recently.”

Regis nodded and showcased the bundle he was holding. A small baby with a tuft of black hair cooed in his arms, “His name is Noctis.”

“Oh! What a little darling,” Aurora gasped at the sight of such a small child. “May I hold him?” Regis nodded and offered Noctis to her. Aurora wasted no time in scooping up the small human into her arms, bouncing lightly to soothe him. “He’s so small. What a sweetheart.”

“Aurora…” Regis paused as he watched Aurora dance lightly around the room, humming a tune for the baby. She seemed so happy. “Aurora, I have a favour to ask.”

“Oh?” Aurora kept her gaze fixated on baby Noctis, his big eyes staring right back at her. “Makes sense, you don’t normally ask me to come by just to hang out anymore, King Busy.”

Regis laughed sheepishly, rubbing his arm, “Yes, well, you know how busy a King can be.”

“Very much so. Your father and I were good friends,” Aurora looked up at Regis with a smile, “I owe him a great debt.”

“That’s...what I wanted to bring up, actually.”

Aurora furrowed her brow quizzically, “What do you mean?”

“The debt you owe to the Lucis Caelum family. I’m officially calling upon you to repay it,” Regis explained. Aurora’s movements stilled, unsure of how to feel about Regis’ statement. She held baby Noctis close as Regis stepped closer, “Aurora, I want you to watch over my son.”

She blinked, “Wait, what? You want me to repay my debt by being his babysitter?”

“Well, no, that’s not exactly what I had in mind,” Regis thought for a moment, choosing his words, “I just want you to watch over him if and when I should pass, to protect him.”

“Regis, I…” she looked down at baby Noctis, who had fallen asleep in her arms. “Is Aulea alright with this?”

“Yes. My wife knows and trusts you. She knows that you raised your daughter well and are helping raise your grandson.” Aurora pursed her lips at Regis’ answer. She knew the payment of her debt was fitting to the debt itself but protecting the crown prince was a big responsibility. “Please, Aurora. Never before have I felt so powerless,” Regis pleaded, gently but firmly holding Aurora’s arms. Those words hit a nerve. Aurora was reminded of when she had said the exact same thing, holding a crying bundle in her arms many years ago. “I beg of you. Should I fall, please, protect my son.”

The healer looked down at the sleeping child in her arms. He was smaller than her grandson was at that age. Such an innocent life, not knowing what lies ahead of him. “Alright,” Aurora sighed before looking up at Regis. “You have my word. Should you fall, I will protect him with my life. Unless I fall first, of course.”

“You have my eternal gratitude,” Regis embraced Aurora, being careful to not crush baby Noctis. “If there is anything that you desire, anything at all, I will make it so. A statue in your honour, perhaps?”

“No statues, please. I’m unaging as it is, I don’t need a second one of me looking down at your citizens,” Aurora placed baby Noctis back in the arms of his father. “Besides, you know what I want can’t be made a reality. Your father already tried.”

Not long after their talk, a statue of Aurora could be seen in the small park named after her. The healer was livid when she found out.

(End flashback)

  
  


Aurora snapped out of her daydream as she slowly walked along the dock leading to the Mother of Pearl. Her feet felt heavy as she dragged them to her destination. She wasn't looking forward to the conversation in her near future. Hell, she didn't even expect to  _ see _ her grandson again.

“Nope,” she mumbled to herself, spinning on her heel to turn back.

_ No, you coward, go tell him. He deserves to know! _

The healer groaned loudly at her conscience, gaining strange looks from passersby. Dino looked up to her all his life, did she really want to sully that? Did she really want him to know that she was so broken?

“You can do this,” she whispered to herself. “He loves you. He’s the only person that does anymore. Anyone who can love a crotchety old woman like yourself will continue to love you with this new information...I hope.”

With a loud inhale, Aurora clutched the crumpled paper in her pocket and kept walking. She could see Dino waiting for her where she had seen him earlier that day. She let out the breath she was holding in as a strangled sigh and continued forward to her grandson. 

“Hey Gran,” he smiled sweetly, his eyes full of nothing but love. His gaze made the healer’s chest tighten with guilt. “How’d the boys take the news?”

“They still can’t believe I’m over 200 years old,” Aurora smirked in amusement. “But other than that, everything seems back to normal.”

She fiddled with the paper in her pocket, the sound of crumpling paper deafening in her ears. Dino got up from where he was sitting and walked up to Aurora, “So, are ya ready to tell me?”

“I’ll never be ready to tell you,” Aurora sighed. She pulled the paper out of her pocket with a trembling hand and gave it to Dino. “But this should explain it without me having to.”

Dino smoothed out the paper and began to read it out loud.

  
  


_ To my loved ones, _

_ I’m sorry it had to come to this but it’s my time. I can feel it. _

Dino paused to look at Aurora, his eyes wide. Aurora motioned for him to keep reading.

_ I’ve lived a very long life, I raised a wonderful child and have the best grandson I could ever ask for. You’re my family and I will always cherish the memories I have.  _

_ My only regret would be that I never got to fulfil my promise to my dear friend Regis Lucis Caelum. I hope he is doing well and that his son may never need me. _

Dino was visibly shaking at this point, tears streaming down his face. He tried finishing the letter but his words couldn’t come out in a coherent sentence. He instead embraced Aurora, hiding his face in her hair as he sobbed. 

“Why?!” He cried. Aurora could feel the top of her head getting wet with his tears. She hid her face in his chest to keep her own tears from falling. 

“I’ve lived such a long life, Dino. I’ve already done everything a regular human sets out to do and then some,” Aurora explained, rubbing his back to try and soothe him. “What else is there for me to do?”

“See my wedding, for one thing,” Dino retorted as he pulled away from Aurora, wiping his tear stained cheeks. “Don’t you remember the girl I wrote to you about? I plan on asking her to marry me.”

“Of course I remember. She seems lovely, Dino, but you don’t need me there. I’ll just be the sad one in the corner of the room watching my baby grandson get married, wishing he’d stop aging. You’re...you’re not supposed to grow old and die before me, sweetie,” Aurora continually wiped away the tears that refused to stop falling. “I can’t handle the thought of watching you grow old and die while I stay the same. Grandparents are supposed to go before their grandkids.”

“Can you please,  _ please _ , at least stay for a few more years? Maybe stick around to see your great grandkid?” Dino’s voice was hopeful as he helped wipe the tears away from Aurora’s face. 

“F-fine,” Aurora sniffed. “But only because you begged me to.”

The duo shared a small laugh. “So, this is why we haven’t heard from you?”

Aurora nodded. “I wanted to distance myself so it would be easier to go. I was hoping you guys would start to forget about me at least a little while you lived your own lives,” there was a short pause as Aurora remembered the night she wrote the letter. “The night I was going to do it...I was just finishing up the letter when there was a knock at my door. Some stubborn man with glasses was dying on my doorstep. I had no choice but to help him...and now I’m being dragged into something I know surprisingly very little about since they failed to give me details.”

“So the right hand to the new king saved my Gran’s life?” Dino laughed. “Remind me to thank him. Does he like jewelry? I saw him wearing a necklace.”

Aurora shoved him playfully.

Ignis stood on the pier, taking in what he had just heard. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop but he was almost glad it happened. 

_ She was going to... _

Ignis shook his head as he turned around and started for the haven. The new information he had learned made his heart ache. Had he known earlier he wouldn’t have been so...unpleasant.

He still had some disdain for Aurora but it was greatly diminished once Dino had told them her secret. As absurd as it sounded, it helped all the pieces fit together and suddenly, Aurora didn’t seem as suspicious. 

_ ‘I just want to disappear’ _

She had said that to Wiz the other night. Now that Ignis knew what that meant there was a pang in his chest. It hurt. Why? He clutched his chest for a moment, waiting for the foreign feeling to fade away. 

Instead, it got worse.

He felt tears run down his cheeks. Why was he crying? He didn’t feel sad, he was surprised. Maybe a little guilty but that was it. Right? Where were these tears coming from?

Thinking it was probably just a panic attack, the advisor wiped the tears away, straightened himself out, and continued walking back to the haven. 

“Back already?” Gladio teased as he saw Ignis in the distance. “How’s Rore doing?”

“She’s alive,” Ignis sighed forlornly, sitting down in his chair and leaning his head back. “That’s all that matters.”

  
  


With a pep in her step, Aurora walked through the Mother of Pearl to get back to the haven where she left the boys. She felt a weight be lifted off her shoulders knowing that her grandson wasn’t mad and that she had a few more years, knowing her family can take the time to grieve before she leaves for good. 

By the time she got back to the haven, Gladio and Ignis were the only ones still awake. “Are the boys in bed?” She asked quietly.

“They are,” Ignis replied.

“We’re probably going to turn in soon, anyway,” Gladio yawned. “So, feel free to head to bed.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll do that,” Aurora smiled. “Goodnight, boys.”

“Night.” Gladio waved lazily as he got ready to put out the fire. 

“Aurora,” Ignis got up from his chair. Aurora stopped and turned to face Ignis.

“Yes?”

Ignis opened his mouth to say something but closed it again, uncertain whether or not he should speak up about what was on his mind. “If...if you would like to request a meal for dinner, you are free to do so.”

“Oh, I, uh…” Aurora scratched her arm before looking up at Ignis with a smile. “Thank you.” Before Ignis could say anything else, Aurora escaped the scene by ducking into the tent.

The next morning, Ignis woke to the sensation of an empty space beside him. He opened his eyes to find Aurora absent from the tent, her spot between himself and Prompto void of her presence. Being mindful of the others, Ignis shuffled his way to the entrance of the tent.

Once outside, he stretched and walked to the cooler near the chair that had been left out the night before. He caught a glimpse of Aurora sitting at the edge of the haven before grabbing a couple cans of Ebony.

“Good morning, Bug,” he said as he offered Aurora one of the cans. She looked at the can suspiciously, took it, then sniffed it. Ignis rolled his eyes. “I did not poison it.”

“Can’t be too careful,” Aurora shrugged, clicking the tab open before taking a sip. “Hey, can I take you up on that dinner request?”

“Of course.” Ignis took a sip of his Ebony. 

“I really like mushrooms. Could you make something that’s mushroom heavy?” Aurora almost seemed embarrassed to ask, shifting her weight side to side and avoiding eye contact. 

“I could make a mushroom risotto?” The advisor offered.

“That sounds nice.”

The rest of the day was spent with Ignis trying to build up the courage to talk to Aurora about what had been on his mind. A mixture of pride and shame kept him from just walking up to her and saying it. He had no reason to, so why did he have such a powerful urge to speak with her about it?

That night after dinner, which Aurora supervised the cooking process, Ignis decided to get it over with and talk with her.

“Ah, Aurora,” he began, sauntering over to her. Aurora looked up at him from where she was sitting on the haven floor, petting Beans. “Might I have a word?”

“I guess.” Aurora’s voice was small as she crossed her arms and averted her eyes. “What do you want, Crista?”

“I was wondering if you would accompany me to the Mother of Pearl tonight,” Ignis paused for a moment. “There’s something I wish to discuss with you.”

“Will you buy me wine?” Aurora almost sounded hopeful.

“If I must,” Ignis sighed.

Aurora hopped up from her sitting position and bounded on the balls of her feet, “Great! Let’s go.”

The walk to the Mother of Pearl was quiet. The duo kept to themselves, Aurora stopped every now and then to pick up a shell she said was ‘too pretty to leave on the beach alone’.

“Over 200 years old and you’re still incredibly childish,” Ignis pointed out.

“Better than being a stuffy old fogey,” Aurora shrugged. “Life isn’t fun when you take it too seriously, Crista.” 

“Duly noted.”

“Oh, uh, thank you for the meal, by the way,” Aurora said as she picked up another shell. “It was delicious.”

“My pleasure.”

  
  


“So,” Ignis started as the duo were seated at a small table in the restaurant, “It appears as though I saved you from death?”

_ Don’t be an arse. _

Ignis internally winced at his own tone. He was so used to ragging on Aurora that he forgot to tone down the sass.

Aurora scoffed as she crossed her arms and turned away from him, “More like interrupted my plans.” She took a large mouthful of wine before turning back to him “How do you even know about that? Were you eavesdropping on my conversation with Dino last night?”

“You were taking an awfully long time so I assumed you had finished talking to Dino and had decided to take a walk along the pier,” Ignis explained after taking a sip of his wine. Aurora did the same, taking another large sip of her own wine, “I didn’t expect you to still be having your conversation when I had arrived. I had only wanted to apologize for my behaviour recently.”

Aurora raised an eyebrow at the man, her nose still in her wine glass. “Apologize?” She repeated, her voice rang through the glass. Ignis nodded. “It better be for when you knowingly poisoned me with those onions or I’m not interested.”

“Indeed, it is for when I knowingly put onions in a dish you were eating,” Ignis swirled the wine in his glass. “It’s also for the time I threatened to kill you and the times I accused you of being a gold digger. I’ve come to the realisation that while your temperament has been less than desirable, you’ve only been trying to help. I regret my actions and ask for your forgiveness.”

She exhaled through her nose softly as she leaned back in her seat. “I’ll forgive you if you buy me a nice dessert. Seeing as we’re already seated in a restaurant,” Aurora motioned around the restaurant. “But if you somehow convince them to put onions in it, I will have no qualms about killing you.”

“Fair enough,” Ignis chuckled. It was the first time Aurora had seen him legitimately smile and it sent a tingle down her spine. Ignis noticed her shiver, “Are you cold, Aurora?”

“No, I-uh-I just got a chill,” Aurora rubbed the back of her neck before taking another sip of wine. “I’m fine.”

The waitress came up to the duo and asked if they would like anything to eat. “The Tenebraen Berry Opera for the lady,” Ignis replied as he handed the waitress the menus. “Absolutely no onions in sight as the dish is being made, if you would be so kind.”

“Uh, absolutely. I’ll be right back with your order,” the waitress smiled but was very obviously taken aback by the onion comment. 

Aurora laughed when the waitress was gone, “You really don’t want to die at my hand, do you?”

“Well, it doesn’t exactly sound like a pleasant way to go,” Ignis smiled again. “With all the fighting we had done earlier, I can’t imagine what it would be like for you to truly wish for my death.”

“Then cheers,” Aurora lifted her glass, “To the longevity of your life.”

Ignis chuckled as he raised his glass and clanked it against Aurora’s, “Cheers.”

The rest of the night was filled with sarcastic banter and laughter. The duo had emptied their first bottle of wine and were halfway through their second. “So,” Ignis started, “Did you really have relations with Wiz  _ and _ Dave?”

“Ah, ah, ah,” Aurora wiggled her finger at Ignis, “You can only unlock that conversation with a second dessert.”

“I must know,” Ignis hailed the waitress and ordered another. “I have met the requirements, now you must tell me your secrets.”

Aurora giggled, a drunken blush dusting her cheeks, “I did. Years and years ago,” she waved her arms around. “They were quite the lookers in their prime.”

“How long ago was all this?”

“I dated Wiz about forty or fifty years ago,” Aurora swirled the wine in her glass. “He’s a wonderful man. I would have probably spent a lot longer with him if I could but, like you so callously thought a week ago, people will think I’m a gold digger if I stay with him unaging while he grows old.”

“And, again, I apologize for my assumptions,” Ignis took a sip of wine before thanking the waitress for bringing the second dessert. “But could you really blame me?”

“Hmm, I suppose not,” Aurora tapped her chin in thought. “But it was strangely flattering to have you think I could get that much dick with just my good looks.”

Ignis threw his head back in laughter. The sound made Aurora’s heart flutter. 

_ Oh no _

Aurora had only a few bites of her dessert left. “You should probably try some before it’s all gone,” she offered a generous spoonful of the dessert to Ignis, who leaned in and took the spoon between his lips without hesitation. He seemed lost in thought as he savoured the flavour in his mouth. “So? How is it?”

“Very rich,” he commented, taking out a notebook and writing something down. He put the notebook away before Aurora had the chance to ask what it was he was writing. “Aurora. I know it’s not my place to ask but did I really stop you from killing yourself that night?” Instead of answering, Aurora took another bite of her dessert, mumbling about how Ignis was right, it was very rich. “...Aurora?”

She inhaled sharply and exhaled with a sigh, “Yes. Had you not showed up at my door seeking help...I would have been dead by morning. Had it all planned out, too. It was going to be like a spa day. One last hurrah before slowly drifting off,” she took her last sip of wine. “I had to throw up all those pills once you passed out. Couldn’t have two dead people in the house, that would have been suspicious.” Aurora tried to play off her last comment as a joke but Ignis didn’t take it that way. Instead he placed a hand atop one of hers that was resting at the base of her wine glass.

“I’m sorry if you felt that was your only option,” he started. “I may not be your favourite person on Eos but...I’m here if you ever need anyone to talk to.”

Aurora was confused for a moment, wondering why he was being so tender about the whole situation. Then it clicked. She laughed softly and pat the hand he had placed over hers, “I guess you didn’t hear as much of my conversation with Dino as I thought,” she giggled. Ignis was visibly confused so she elaborated, “Ignis, I wasn’t going to do it because I’m depressed and feel like my life has no meaning. I was going to do it because I lived through my meaning. Sure, I’ve got some problems, but I...I felt it was my time. I’m not going to die of old age so my only option would be to take matters into my own hands. Dino thinks it was horrible timing, though.”

Ignis was silent as he absorbed the information but didn’t take his hand away from Aurora’s. “Why now?” He finally asked. 

Aurora shrugged, “Why not now? There is no good time to die so I picked a date out of a hat, estranged myself from my family so they were already used to not having me around, and got everything prepared for my demise.”

“Are you daft?” Ignis scoffed, folding his arms.

“Wow, no one takes well to the idea of me dying,” Aurora stated, mostly to herself. “Got a crush on me or something?” She cringed at herself for saying that, blaming it on the alcohol. Thankfully, Ignis paid the comment no mind and continued with his scolding.

“Aurora, you should have told your family what you were planning, not stop all contact with them,” Ignis scolded. “Not to mention you made a promise to the King to protect Noctis.”

“I’m aware of that. Dino made it very clear already and that promise I made to Regis was to go into effect once he died, something I didn’t find out until the day  _ after _ I was supposed to be dead; something I’m sure you remember,” Aurora rolled her eyes. Her expression softened when she saw the distress in Ignis’ eyes. “Look...because of this whole thing I’ve been dragged into with Noctis, and Dino pleading for me to be present for his wedding day, and the eventual birth of his child, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. You don’t have to worry about me.”

That statement calmed Ignis’ nerves.

The duo walked along the pier, slowly making their way back to the campsite. They both drank a little too much at dinner and were using each other as support. “How mad would you be if I just threw you overboard right now?” Aurora giggled.

“I’d be rather amused, considering I’d drag you along with me,” Ignis smirked as he adjusted his glasses. Aurora giggled again.

“Maybe those fish would eat us,” She looked down at the water. “They’re all glowly. I don’t trust that. Very suspicious creatures.”

Ignis rested his weight on the railing, “Hmm, yes, they do seem rather fishy.”

Aurora giggled and snorted, shoving him playfully, “Varin, stop.”

“Varin?” Ignis raised an eyebrow. “I thought I was Crista.”

“Oh, uh, sorry,” Aurora laughed nervously. “I’m a little drunk, I’m saying all the wrong names.”

Their chat continued as they walked along the beach to the camp. “There is one other thing that I cannot quite understand,” Ignis spoke as he nearly lost his footing on the uneven sand. 

“Hm?” Aurora turned her head to face him.

“Why would you owe such a debt to the royal family in the first place?” Ignis crossed his arms. “Were you well acquainted with the old King?”

“Uhhhh,” Aurora let out a continuous ‘uh’ noise as she frantically tried to think of a way to explain her answer. “Don’t...don’t judge me, okay?”

“No promises, judging you has been quite easy as of late,” Ignis teased. The healer shoved him lightly with a laugh.

“Okay, well, I may have been romantically involved with King Mors back in the day,” Aurora said through her fingers as she covered her mouth with embarrassment. 

“You  _ what _ ?” Ignis stopped walking and turned to fully face Aurora. “Is there anyone you haven’t had relations with?”

“Oh, don’t be like that!” Aurora poked him in the chest. “It’s only jarring to you because you’re learning of all the people I've been with in such a short amount of time. When you look at the big picture, these events happened several years apart.”

“Right. My apologies.” Ignis relaxed his shoulders. “Please continue.”

“Alright. So, when Mors was young he met me. We ended up getting close and I told him that I was from a different dimension. He agreed to help me find a way back home. Since we had been spending so much time together we developed romantic feelings for each other,” Aurora explained as she wiggled her foot to get the sand out of her sandals. “He kept telling me I would be his queen when he took the throne...it was statements like those that made me realise I couldn’t be with him. An unaging queen who couldn’t produce an heir? I would have only caused problems.”

Ignis raised an eyebrow at her last statement, “So you broke it off with him?”

“Correct.” Aurora wiggled her other foot, mumbling about the sand. “Once I had explained my concerns to him we broke up amicably but stayed good friends. Pretty sure his wife suspected something. She hated me. Thought I was a tart.”

Ignis laughed, “Yes, I thought the same.”

“You still do!”

“You still haven’t answered my question as to who you have not had relations with yet, Bug,” he chuckled.

“Oh, stop it.” Aurora stuck her tongue out at him. Once the laughter died down and her smile faded, she spoke again. “Hey, um. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Ignis cocked his head.

“You made the effort tonight to apologize to me so I want to do the same,” Aurora said as she avoided Ignis’s gaze. “I’m sorry for being a dick most of the time, I’m sorry for keeping so many secrets, I’m sorry for the big fight we had, and I’m sorry for throwing your glasses into the river.”

“And the punch to the diaphragm?”

“Oh, I’m not sorry about that.”

Ignis chortled as he brought Aurora in for a hug. “You are forgiven.”

At first, Aurora was stunned at the sudden affection from the man she thought to be cold and unfeeling, but she couldn’t deny the warm feeling that enveloped her body. She wrapped her arms around the advisor’s waist tightly. She was convinced the only reason he was so affectionate was due to the alcohol they had ingested earlier but that didn’t stop her from feeling her heart swell.

_ You just know _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You just know


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Primarily a flashback chapter, we get an inside look at why Aurora isolated herself in recent years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know very little about medical jargen, I'm sorry.

"Well, look who finally came back,” Gladio mused as Aurora and Ignis walked up to the boys at camp, swaying slightly due to the alcohol. “Looks like you two had a good time.”

“Oh, we sure did!” Aurora stretched and yawned. “But, oh boy, am I ready for bed.”

“Yes, I feel the same,” Ignis also yawned. “I’ll be turning in early tonight.”

“Goodnight everyone,” Aurora lazily waved to the other three boys before shuffling into the tent. Ignis followed, shrugging off his jacket and folding it neatly before slipping into his sleeping bag. Aurora did the same, taking off her kimono cardigan and throwing it on top of Ignis’s jacket. After shimmying into her sleeping bag she turned to Ignis, “Hey Ignis?”

“Yes Aurora?” Ignis placed his glasses on top of Aurora’s cardigan before laying down on his side to be eye level with Aurora.

“Are we...good?” She asked, fiddling with a frayed string poking out of her sleeping bag.

“Care to elaborate?”

“Is the fighting gonna stop now?” Aurora looked into Ignis’s eyes. They were prettier without being overshadowed by his glasses, prettier when they weren’t glaring at her, and she blushed. Luckily her drunken blush was still present and masked it. “Or are we just going to go back to our same shenanigans in the morning?”

“I would hope the fighting would cease, otherwise I bought a small fortune in desserts and wine for nothing,” Ignis smirked. Aurora giggled. “You answered most of my questions. I have no reason to be suspicious of you any longer.”

Aurora smiled at him, he smiled in return. “Okay,” she whispered. “Goodnight Crista.”

“Sweet dreams, Bug.”

Ignis woke to a pleasant weight pressing into his chest. He tried swiping at something tickling his face but was met with more of the foreign feeling. When he opened his eyes he could see his hand tangled in long curly hair. Aurora’s face was right below his, sleeping soundly on his chest. Her arm was lazily wrapped around his waist. He didn’t know what to do, opting to stay frozen as he tried to think of a better solution than laying there like a buffoon.

“Well, isn’t this adorable,” Gladio smirked, propping himself up with his elbow.

“Gladio, I beg of you,” Ignis whispered with a desperate tone. “Help me.”

“Nah, you guys need some bonding time,” Gladio laughed lightly as he turned to face the tent wall.

Ignis grumbled and tried to shake Aurora awake, “Aurora, wake up,” He whispered into her hair. Aurora nuzzled into his neck and Ignis practically stopped breathing. She tightened her grip around his waist, her hand reaching lower down and dangerously close to--”Nope, you’re not going there.” Ignis grabbed her wrist harshly and Aurora yelped, finally waking up.

“Ow, what the fuck,” She growled in a groggy manner. When she lifted herself she realised she was half on top of Ignis and blushed, “Uuuhhhhhh...good morning?”

“Would you  _ please _ get off of me?” Ignis sighed.

“Can you let go of my wrist please?” She retorted, still flustered. Ignis let go of her and she shuffled back to her little space between Ignis and Prompto. “Um...why don’t I start breakfast?” 

“That would be lovely, thank you,” Ignis sighed as he leaned his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking in what just happened. “I’ll be out shortly. I need a moment.”

Aurora nodded before slipping out of the tent. Ignis could hear Gladio giggling and whacked him hard with a pillow, “Aw, come on, Iggy. Don’t be so upset.” 

“That could have cost us all the progress we made last night.”

“What, you think a little cuddling would make you guys want to kill each other again?” Gladio snorted. “Whatever you say, Romeo.”

Ignis walked out of the tent to find Aurora rummaging through her pack, throwing things and grumbling loudly. The loud crashing of her things made Ignis cringe, his head pounding from the amount of alcohol he consumed the night before.

“Aurora, would you cease that incessant noise?” He groaned, walking over to the little camp kitchen. Aurora had set everything up beforehand, all Ignis had to do was start cooking. 

“My head is killing me, I need meds,” She mumbled, continuing to throw things. 

“What about your lyre?”

“You want me to use  _ music _ to heal this shit?” Aurora turned to him with an unamused look and snorted. “Yeah right. Thanks for the input, genius, but I think I’ll stick to finding something that doesn’t make noise.”

“I’m only trying to help, no need to be so cross,” Ignis stated quietly as he began making breakfast. “My thanks for laying out the utensils and ingredients.”

“You’re welcome,” Aurora sighed as she stood from her crouching position, a small bottle in her hand. “And I’m sorry for being so grouchy. I don’t normally drink this much or get hangovers often.” Aurora walked over to Ignis and offered him the small bottle of what looked to be painkillers. 

“Aurora, may I ask you a personal question?” Ignis asked after he and Aurora started to feel a little better. Aurora nodded for him to continue. “There was something you said last night that stuck with me.”

“What’s that?” Aurora asked, drumming her fingers on the camp kitchen table next to Ignis.

“You mentioned that you wouldn’t be able to produce an heir,” Ignis stated. Aurora stopped drumming. “Could you explain that a bit more in detail?”

“Ah…I forgot I said that,” Aurora placed her hands on her lower abdomen. “I, uh...I can’t have kids.”

Ignis knit his brow together. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. You’re Dino’s grandmother. If you can’t have children then he cannot be your grandchild.”

“You’re not wrong,” Aurora huffed as she made her way to one of the fold out chairs. “I can’t have kids of my own because my body is basically frozen in time. I adopted Dino’s mother when she was an infant.”

“Ah, that clears everything up,” Ignis nodded. “My condolences about not being able to have children.”

“Comes with the territory,” Aurora sighed with a shrug. “You want to be immortal, you can’t have kids. Tomato tomato.”

“It’s tomahto.”

“Whatever, tomahto tomahto.”

“No it’s--” Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose. “Nevermind.”

“Oh! I haven’t healed your cheek!” Aurora cried, making Ignis jump, his head still a bit sensitive to loud noises. She walked up to him and grazed her fingers lightly over the wound. “Has it been hurting much these past couple of days?”

“Nothing I cannot handle,” Ignis waved her concern. Aurora rolled her eyes. “...it’s less painful today than yesterday.”

Aurora perked up, “Do you want me to heal it?”

“If you would be so kind.”

The healer smiled as she grabbed her lyre and began to play. The large gash on the advisor’s cheek had gotten smaller but didn’t fully heal. “I was able to get most of it to keep it from scarring. I hope that helps.”

“My thanks.”

A happy little jingle started playing and Aurora immediately rushed to her bag, taking her phone out. “Hello?” She answered.

“Gran! Glad I caught yah!” Dino beamed from the other end of the line. “I got a favour to ask of your little posse.”

“And what would that be?” Aurora began pacing around the haven as she spoke to Dino.

“You know how much I want gemstones but can’t exactly get them myself,” Dino began. “Can’t get these pretty hands dirty, y’know what I’m sayin’?”

“Mhm,” Aurora rolled her eyes with a smile.

“Anyway, I need yous guys to go out and get some gems for me. Whattaya say, Gran?”

“Yeah, just send me the details and we can go out and get them.”

“Perfect! Love yah, Gran!”

“Love you, too, sweetie,” Aurora’s smile broadened before hanging up.

“That was Dino?” Ignis asked as he finished up breakfast.

“Yeah, he wants us to get more gems for him. He’ll be sending me the details later,” Aurora explained as Ignis handed her a plate of food. “Thank you.”

“Alright, Rore, let’s get back at it,” Gladio said as he emerged from the tent and patted her shoulder.

“Already?” Aurora asked with a mouthful of food. “I’m still eating!”

“Then hurry it up, I’ll be down at the beach waiting for you,” Gladio said as he walked down from the haven. The healer began stuffing her mouth with as much food as she could before setting the plate down and rummaged through her bag to find her daggers. 

“You’ll choke at that rate,” Ignis warned. 

“Thanks mom,” Aurora said, cheeks still full of food. She swallowed the food in her mouth just as she finished adjusting the holsters on her arms. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

Ignis watched Gladio and Aurora spar from his spot by the fire. He could hear muffled cries and laughter as they hopped around on the sand. At one point, Aurora face planted into the sand and Ignis couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped his lips.

“Enjoying the show?” Noctis asked as he sat beside his advisor. 

“Indeed,” Ignis replied as he looked over at Noctis for a moment before going back to watching the duo on the beach. 

“So,” Noctis started, unsure if it was the right time to start the conversation. “Are you and Aurora done fighting? You two seemed pretty friendly last night.”

Ignis sighed, slouching slightly in his chair. “Yes, I believe the fighting has ceased,” he replied. “With all the new information given to us about her past and the conversation I had with her last night, I am no longer suspicious of her.”

“Good,” Noctis smiled. “I like her.”

“I like her, too,” Prompto said as he sat at the edge of the haven trying to get photos of the two sparring on the beach. “I think it’s so cool that she’s, like, super old but she doesn’t act like she is.”

“What do you think she’d act like?” Noctis laughed.

“I dunno! Like, a grandma or something,” Prompto shrugged. “Like ‘you kids better get off my lawn!’, that kind of thing.”

“Huh...she kinda does act like that, now that you mention it,” Noctis said, deep in thought. Prompto giggled.

  
  


That night, as Aurora laid in her sleeping bag between Prompto and Ignis, she stared at the tent ceiling, her mind wondering, sifting through memories. She wondered if there was any useful information hiding in her memories that Regis would want her to know.

So her mind kept wandering…

  
  


(flashback)

“Reggie! Where are you!” Aurora called in the large hallway of the Citadel as she chewed on the skull pendant she was wearing. She may have gotten lost but didn’t want to admit it or ask for directions, so he was left to her own devices of...yelling.

As she turned the corner, still calling for Regis, she bumped into something. Or rather, someone. “Ah! My apologies!” The kid bowed before pushing up his glasses and ran off. 

“A kid?” Aurora questioned as she gathered her mess of blue hair into a top bun. It wasn’t Noctis, that she was certain of.

“Aurora!” A voice called behind her. She turned to see Regis shuffling toward her. “There you are!”

“Eyy, Reggie! Looking good,” Aurora pointed finger guns at the King. “I can see some grey hairs. Very becoming.”

“Yes, yes, you envy the aging process,” Regis sighed. “There are more pressing matters than complimenting my rapid aging.”

“Geez, alright, no need to lay out my insecurities.” Aurora crossed her arms.

Regis relaxed his shoulders with another sigh. “I apologize, Aurora, but...it’s Noctis.”

Aurora’s eyes widened. “What happened?”

“They chose him.”

“Oh no,” Aurora brought her hand to her mouth. “Regis, I--”

“Come with me.” Regis led Aurora down the hall and into a room where Cor Leonis was waiting. He winked once she made eye contact with him. Aurora bit her lip to keep herself from smiling. Regis looked between the two, “Your relationship is no secret, don’t act like it is.”

“It’s called roleplay,” Aurora rolled her eyes.

“I need you two to focus right now. I’ve been told some very distressing news,” Regis placed his hands on the table, resting his weight on them. “Noctis is the Chosen King.”

“This is the Chosen King that was prophesied?” Aurora asked. “The one who will sacrifice himself to save the world?”

When Regis failed to answer, only looking down at the table in front of him, Cor stepped in. “We wanted to discuss any further involvement you may be able to provide.”

“W-what? Why?”

“I want my son to live as full of a life as he possibly can,” Regis turned to her. “I want him to have fun, feel normal, maybe have a mother figure now that Aulea has passed.”

“Are you proposing to me? Really? Right in front of my boyfriend?” Aurora joked. 

“Please take this seriously, Aurora,” Regis pleaded, placing his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not asking for your hand in marriage. I’m asking if you could stand by my son as the parental figure he lost.”

“Regis,” Aurora placed her hands gently on Regis’s forearms. “I can’t replace his mother. I already fucked up my own kid. You don’t want me to do that to Noctis.”

“A single mistake doesn’t make you a bad parent,” Regis tried to reassure her but she backed away from him.

“That single mistake I made is the reason I never see my daughter anymore. The reason why I only get to see my grandson during the summer holidays. Do not tell me a single mistake won’t bring something similar to Noctis!” She yelled. “It’s too much pressure, I can’t. Besides, an unaging mother figure will only confuse him and your people. He needs to focus on things other than why I never seem to get older.”

Regis hung his head, “I understand.”

“I’m so sorry, Regis. You know I love Noctis but you also know I’ve been trying my damn hardest not to get attached. I’m...I’m at my limit. I can’t keep getting attached to people I know will just grow old and die without me,” Aurora held back tears as she turned to Regis. “I will continue to honour the oath I made to protect Noctis should you fall, Regis. Even if he has to sacrifice himself to save the world, I will make sure he accomplishes his goal...but you shouldn’t expect anything else from me.”

-3 years later-

“WHAT HAPPENED?!” Aurora yelled as she kicked the door open. She ran into the hospital room to find a group of people standing around a comatose Noctis.

“There was an attack,” Cor stated as Aurora joined the others. “Noctis sustained some grievous injuries.”

“Let me help,” she looked around the room. “I’m the Lady of Healing, I can help!”

“Are you sure?” Cor placed a hand on Aurora’s shoulder. 

“Yes. Everyone get out!” The healer ordered.

“You heard her, everyone out!” Cor bellowed. 

Hours went by as Aurora and a team of surgeons worked on Noctis. But with every hour that passed, Aurora felt more and more useless. Sure, she knew the basics of surgery but even her magic couldn’t do much. No matter how hard she tried, nothing seemed to be working. She eventually stepped out of the operating room, pressing her back against the wall and sliding down to the floor. 

She stared at her shaking hands before letting out a loud sob, tears streaming down her face. “I couldn’t help him.” She hid her face in her hands. “What good am I to him if I can’t help him?”

A small noise broke through her self deprivation. 

She lifted her face from her hands and looked up to find a young boy. He sniffled as he took a seat on the floor outside of the operating room across from Aurora. He had dark blonde hair and bloodshot green eyes behind his glasses. He looked to have been crying earlier.

“Hey kiddo,” Aurora sniffed as she wiped the tears from her face, trying to look presentable and like a functional adult. “W-what are you doing here?”

“I came to see Noctis,” he replied in a shaky voice. “But he’s…” The boy couldn’t finish his sentence, lowering his head.

“Hey, kiddo, come here,” Aurora patted the ground beside her and the boy quickly took the invitation, shuffling to Aurora’s end of the hallway. She lifted her hand to comfort him but stopped. “Stuff like this is scary, I know. Even adults get scared.”

“I’m aware.”

“Oh, good,” Aurora laughed nervously, not sure how to continue. “Well, I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

“Were you one of the people helping him?” The boy looked up at Aurora with large hopeful eyes. Her guilt forced her to look away. 

“I...I was,” she looked at her shaking hands. “But I couldn’t help.”

“I don’t understand. How could you not help? Aren’t you a medic?” The boy cocked his head in confusion. He could see that Aurora was dressed in hospital scrubs.

Aurora turned to the boy, “Well, yeah, but...my specific skill set was no longer needed so I left the operating room to...uh...give them more space, y’know?”

“I see.” The boy sounded like he didn’t believe her. Aurora sighed, she hated that she didn’t know how to comfort this kid. How many times was she going to suck at being good with kids?

“Hey, you know what?” Aurora took off the skull pendant she was wearing. “Why don’t you take this?”

“A necklace?” The boy seemed uninterested.

“Not just a necklace. It’s my luck charm. It helps keep the bad stuff away,” she said as she put the pendant around the boy’s neck. “Seems like you could use it more than me.”

The boy examined the pendant thoroughly, almost to the point where Aurora thought he was going to reject it and give it back to her. “Thank you,” he said quietly. He seemed to finally start relaxing.

She smiled at the kid, “Anytime, kiddo. We can hang out here as long as you need.”

They stayed sitting on the floor in silence for a long time, the boy eventually fell asleep, leaning his head against Aurora’s shoulder.

One of the other surgeons came out into the hallway to find Aurora sitting with the young boy. “There you are.” He said. “Come on, we need you back in there.”

“Oh, uh,” Aurora looked down to the kid who was snug at her side, sleeping peacefully. She tried shifting lightly to get up but the boy whined in his sleep. "Uh, I'm a little busy."

"What? It's just a kid, he's here to see the prince. The sooner we're finished, the sooner he can see his friend. Get up." The surgeon demanded before heading back into the operating room.

"Okay, I'll be there in a sec," Aurora called out but the surgeon was already gone. She shook the boy gently to wake him, enticing more whining. “Hey kiddo, I gotta go.”

“Go?”

“They need me back in the operating room,” she explained. 

“Ah,” the boy rubbed his eyes. “Don’t let me stop you. Go help Noct.”

“I will,” Aurora smiled as she got to her feet. “Remember, that pendant will help keep the bad stuff away. Be sure to keep it close.”

“Yes ma’am.” The boy waved before Aurora disappeared into the operating room.

Days later and Aurora kept trying to heal Noctis. She tried everything she knew, everything she had ever thought of, she even tried new things she had never tried before. Nothing worked. The boy didn’t wake up and his injuries, while better, would still leave him unable to walk. 

She screamed as she threw her books off of the desk she was studying on. Regis had given her a room in the Citadel to be able to study her magic and medical books. She was usually up late every night.

“Nothing is working!” She threw another book, continuing her tangent. Papers flew everywhere, glasses were being broken, he nearly smashed the desk but there was a knock at the door. “Go away!” She cried out but the person came in anyway.

“Aurora,” Cor spoke softly. “You need to rest.”

“I need to help Noctis!” She yelled. 

“Shhh,” Cor walked closer. “Getting angry and yelling will get you nowhere.”

Aurora was about to yell at him, tell him it doesn’t hurt either, but she stopped. She knew he was right so she began to cry instead. “I can’t help him, Cor,” she cried into his arms as he held her. “I’m so ashamed! I was supposed to be a great healer. One Eos had never seen before!”

“You are,” Cor whispered. “No one can use healing magic in this universe.”

“None but the Oracle,” Aurora scoffed as she pushed away from Cor. 

“That’s a different kind of magic.”

“Is it?” Aurora crossed her arms. “Is it really so different? Mine just seems like a less superior version of hers. I can’t heal anyone infected by this gooey plague that’s going around. I can’t even heal the common cold. No sir, only physical wounds. Yet here I am, unable to make the lasting damage on a young boy go away. He hasn’t even woken up from his coma. He might never wake up! I swore to protect this kid, Cor!”

“You swore to protect him only after his father dies,” he corrected her. 

“And that’s where I fucked up,” Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose. “I should never have volunteered to heal him. I was under no obligation and now I feel like if I can’t ever help him, what good will I be to him if and when he really needs me?”

“Aurora…”

The healer wiped her tear stained cheeks. “I...I’m gonna leave soon,” she spoke quietly. 

Cor’s eyes widened. “You’re serious?”

Aurora nodded. “I’ve failed as a healer, I’ve failed Regis as a friend, and I've failed you as a lover,” she paused to look him in the eye. “You knew we had an expiration date going into this. I’m going to outlive you, I’m going to outlive everyone. It’s best if I disappear, start fresh with the new generation…”

Cor cupped Aurora’s face, bringing her in for a soft kiss. “I wish...I wish I could give you what you need.” Aurora kissed him back.

“No one can,” she whispered as more tears formed in her eyes. “But thank you for making me happy, if only for a small portion of my cursed life.”

“I’ll be sure to continue doing so until you’re ready to leave.”

She sobbed. “Thank you, Cor.”

Another month and Aurora was packing up her things. The prince had woken from his coma and was sent to Tenebrae, where he can heal from his injuries. Aurora had apologized to Regis again and again but he kept telling her that there was nothing she should be sorry for. She attempted to save his son’s life and he should be the one who is grateful.

While she was happy that there was no bad blood between them, she couldn't help the strong feeling of guilt that weighed her down.

“All set?” Cor asked from the doorway.

“Yeah,” Aurora tried reaching for her pendant but forgot that she had given it away to that kid earlier. With a sigh, she followed Cor ready to leave the Citadel, ready to leave Insomnia...ready to disappear. 

(end flashback)

As Aurora came back to reality, her memories faded away and she was back to staring at the tent ceiling. She hadn’t noticed that tears were streaming down her face and soaking her pillow the whole time she had drifted off into her memories. 

She turned her head to the side to see Ignis sleeping soundly beside her. He seemed at ease. Peaceful, even. Her silent tears flowed harder down her face as she caught a glimpse of the pendant he was wearing. That same black skull. 

“It’s you,” she tried to chuckle but it ended up being a sob. “That little kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just love when you love kids but are super afraid of fucking them up?
> 
> Also, I guess I should clear this up just in case, Aurora's not supposed to know who her soulmate is until they've at least reached 18 years of age. Otherwise if you're an adult and your soulmate is still a child that would be really not cool.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of ups and downs with a side of sexual tension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to point out, once again, that I am not well versed in medical jargon so hopefully this plays out well lol
> 
> Warning!  
> Mentions of suicide and descriptions of gore
> 
> I loved writing this chapter so enjoy!

Aurora sat on the ground staring up at the night sky. The stars shone brightly and Aurora tried to take in as much of their beauty as she could, holding back tears. She had spent so much time digging through her memories the night before that she’d been in a weird mood ever since. The boys seemed to have noticed and kept asking if she was alright but she brushed them off and decided to sit in the grass alone with her thoughts.

She figured taking a nap while Ignis prepared dinner would help clear her mind.

Her dream, however, did not clear her mind. Only made it worse.

It didn't even feel like a dream. More like a memory...

_“Aurora, we have to get out of here!” a muffled voice said as they ran._

_“Where is the exit?” She cried as they turned a corner. They entered a room and were surrounded by blurs Aurora somehow knew were enemies._

_“I’ll protect you, Aurora!” The bespectacled man drew a sword and began to fight but it wasn’t long before the sandy haired man was slain protecting her._

_“Varin no!” Aurora tried to run to the man but was being pushed away._

_“Get rid of her!” a voice bellowed._

_“Varin! Varin!”_

_The world around her began to fade._

Aurora could hear her name being called. She opened her eyes and was greeted with a silhouette of a man staring down at her upside down. “Varin?” She questioned, sitting up quickly. Once her eyes adjusted she realised the upside down figure was Ignis and let out a small sigh.

“Aurora,” He spoke softly. Aurora leaned back until her shoulders made contact with the man’s knees, his face looming over her as she kept her head tilted upward. “Dinner is ready.”

“Did I ever tell you that I forgot what my old world’s night sky looks like?” She asked quietly. Ignis stepped away from Aurora and sat at her side as she let herself fall backwards. Now laying on her back, Aurora glanced at Ignis before looking back up at the night sky. “I used to love looking up and counting all the new stars, it kept me sane while getting used to this new world. Getting lost in something familiar but rearranged differently, you know? By the time I mapped out this sky, I had completely forgotten what the sky in my old world looked like.”

“Do you think about your old home often?”

“No...I’ve forgotten most of it. Anything I ‘remember’ were things I had written down to keep myself from forgetting,” Aurora sat up and brought her knees close to her chest. “Thinking about how much I’ve forgotten in my life just makes me think about how I was a completely different person 200 years ago. Even 100 years ago.”

“Would you truly say you were completely different?” Ignis asked. “You are still Aurora.”

Aurora just laughed dryly, “You didn’t know me back then. I sometimes read old journals that I wrote years back...it’s like reading the memoirs of someone I don’t know. Reading how she slowly gives up,” She tightened her grip on her knees to distract from the tears welling up in her eyes. “I’ve become so jaded. So bitter. There are times where I think disappearing is still the best option for everyone else's sake. Then they wouldn't have to deal with my salty attitude.”

There was another pang in the advisor’s chest as tears threatened to form. _Who’s emotions are these?_ “Don’t say such things,” Ignis pleaded quietly.

Aurora turned her head to glance at him, “Would you rather I keep it bottled up?”

“No, I just…” Ignis didn’t know how to reply. “Just know that you have people who care about you.”

“You don’t seem to understand,” Aurora went back to staring up at the night sky. “No matter what time I choose to go, there will always be someone who cares. There is no good time to die. If you think about it in those terms, I’ll live forever, and that hardly seems fair...but I digress, I’ve made multiple promises to stick around for a while longer. So you’ll get to witness my less than desirable attitude and hear me play my little lyre tunes for longer than you bargained for.” Aurora chuckled at her last statement.

“On the topic of music,” Ignis started, trying to lighten the mood. “Is that lyre the only instrument you can play? Or did you spend years learning others?” He shifted to get more comfortable on the grass.

“Oh yeah, I learned to play any instrument I could get my hands on!” Aurora smiled for a moment before it faded, “You know...people always say they want to live forever. That they could accomplish amazing things. What a joke. You know something they don’t tell you about immortality, Crista?” 

“The loss of memory?” 

“Yes! I might have lived at least three lifetimes but I couldn’t tell you anything that happened in detail. I’ve forgotten most of it,” she sighed heavily, “I only have the cognitive abilities of the average human. I can’t remember everything I’ve done. I’ve learned so many instruments but if you gave me a flute I doubt I’d remember how to play it. It’s been fifty years since I last picked one up.” She turned to look at Ignis again and found him looking up at the sky, the stars reflecting in his glasses. “Promise me you won’t live forever. It sucks.”

“I promise,” Ignis smirked. There was a pause, making Aurora grimace as she waited for his inevitable witty comeback, “but could you imagine the amount of new recipes I could come up with if I were immortal?”

Aurora laughed. A real laugh. She missed the feeling. Maybe being around the boys wouldn’t be so bad for her, she thought. “You’re funny,” she mused.

There was a small pause in the conversation before Ignis spoke, “Who is Varin?”

Aurora’s breath hitched, “U-um…” she started braiding some of her hair as a means to distract her panicked thoughts, “W-what do you mean?” _Wow._

“You’ve mistakenly called me Varin on more than one occasion,” Ignis explained.

“Pfft, name more than one time,” Aurora rolled her eyes.

“On the pier the other night, just now as you woke from your slumber, not to mention your first words to me were ‘Varin’ when you answered your door,” Ignis counted each instance on his fingers.

“Alright, I get it,” Aurora said dryly. She swallowed before speaking, “Varin...Varin was my husband. You look a lot like him. It...it was really hard to look at you when we were fighting because of it.”

She turned to Ignis, who was visibly tense. He pushed up his glasses, effectively covering his face for a moment before he spoke, “Ah. My apologies.”

Aurora snorted, “Don’t apologise for the way you look, you can’t help it. Besides,” she finished her little braid, “I don’t remember the details of what he looked like. Just...shapes, silhouettes, glasses, dark blonde hair,” she twirled the braid with her finger, “Different accent, though.”

Ignis smiled, “Well, at least I have some form of originality.” 

She glanced at Ignis again with an amused sigh, “You were saying something about dinner?”

“Right,” Ignis got up and offered Aurora his hand. She took it and was lifted to her feet. “Let’s stop being so melodramatic, hm?”

Aurora rolled her eyes, “Come on, let me be sad about my terribly long existence.”

“Not when dinner is waiting,” Ignis placed his hand on Aurora’s back and urged her back to the campsite. 

  
  
  


“Rore, you’ve been on your phone for an hour. Come back to reality and be present,” Gladio scolded as he threw a chopped carrot at Aurora. 

“Wow, okay, grandpa,” Aurora scoffed playfully as she threw the carrot back at him.

“Now, now. There’s no need to throw food,” Ignis sighed. 

“Why do you boys act like you’re so much older than me? Come on, act your age!”

“Who are you texting anyway, Aurora?” Prompto asked between bites of food. 

“Dino. Ever since he found me on the dock he’s been texting me nonstop trying to catch up on the conversations we missed out on the last few years,” Aurora explained as she put her phone back into her bag. “While there’s not much to tell, he insists on knowing every little detail. His loss, I’m basically retelling every show I’ve watched on KupoFlix.”

“Surely you’ve done something in the past few years,” Ignis leaned his weight on one side of the folding chair. 

“I wrote down every medical find I’ve ever learned and planted flowers in my pet cemetery last year,” Aurora shrugged.

“I’m sorry, your _what_?” Gladio leaned in so he could hear Aurora better

“I’ve lived a long time, animals make good companions but they have short lifespans. You don’t think I’d have acquired multiple pets throughout my life?”

“It’s just strange to think that you’d have one all to yourself.”

  
  
  
  


Aurora was enjoying her early morning grogginess. Everything was quiet, save for Gladio's snoring. Her minor shuffling between the two boys she was sleeping beside roused them, making Prompto turn around in his sleep and cuddle up to her while Ignis merely turned his head away from her. Like a mother soothing a child, Aurora stroked Prompto’s hair softly and the boy nearly purred at her touch. 

The tender moment was cut short by a loud bellowing voice just outside of the tent. “Gran!” The voice called out as the individual smacked the tent to make more noise. Gladio growled angrily at being woken up. “Hey Gran! Wake up!”

“Bloody hell,” Ignis sat up and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Bug, please shut him up.” 

Aurora groaned in response, “Sorry guys,” she maneuvered herself over the boys who were between her and the door. Luckily it was the smaller of the boys, Noctis and Prompto, so it was much easier than if she had to get around the other two. 

The banging didn’t cease until Aurora finally opened the tent door and was greeted with a smiling Dino, “Oh good, you’re awake,” he smiled brightly. “Did yah get the gems I asked for?”

“Not yet,” she rubbed her eye. “Is that all?”

“No.”

“Dino, you have ten seconds to explain why you’re waking me up at this ungodly hour,” Aurora growled. Dino’s smile never wavered as he showcased a poster he had been hiding behind his back. “What is that for?”

“This, my darling Gran, is a poster for a small festival the Quay is hosting in a few days,” Dino explained. “And I want you to participate.” 

“And why would I do that?”

“Because every festival has music. Everyone knows you’re the best musician on Eos, not to mention you have the voice of an angel,” Dino pointed to the part of the poster that advertised live music as he spoke.

“Aurora can sing?” Noctis mumbled as he sat up. His bed head was laughably outrageous. 

“With a voice sweeter than honey, my friend,” Dino replied to Noctis. 

“A colossal exaggeration,” Aurora corrected. “Dino, why couldn’t you have just texted me about this?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t say yes unless I bat these pretty eyes of mine,” Dino bat his eyes and looked up at Aurora through his eyelashes. “So, whaddaya say, Gran?”

She sighed, “I don’t know, Dino. It’s really up to the guys. We’ve got places to be, right?” She turned to the boys but Noctis just shrugged. 

“I mean, I’d like to hear you play.”

“Yeah, that sounds fun,” Prompto lifted his arm into the air to let everyone know he was present for the conversation without lifting his head from the pillow. “Oooou, maybe we can start a band!”

“Then it’s settled!” Dino exclaimed. “I’ll text you the details. Thanks Gran!” And with that, Dino left. 

Aurora slowly zipped up the entrance to the tent before crawling back to bed and nestling herself between Prompto and Ignis. She left out a hefty sigh into her pillow. “Not _jazzed_ about this idea of performing?” Ignis smirked. Aurora flipped over on her side to face Ignis and whacked him with her pillow. 

“I don’t need puns right now,” She grumbled. Prompto turned to his side and started spooning Aurora. “There are no boundaries in this tent, are there?”

“So, are we gonna start a band or what?” Prompto asked.

“Prompto, give the lady some space,” Ignis scolded. Prompto shuffled backward so his torso wasn’t touching Aurora’s. “And no, we’re not starting a band.”

“Aw, come on, Iggy! It would be so fun to be up there jamming with Aurora!” Prompto was practically pouting. 

“But Prom, who’s gonna take pictures if you’re up on stage?” 

Prompto gasped lightly, “You’re right.”

Ignis mouthed a quick thank you before everyone drifted back to sleep.

  
  


“Hey, if I’m going to be performing at this festival I’m gonna need more than just my lyre,” Aurora explained as everyone sat down to eat breakfast. “Why don’t we go back to my cottage so I can grab a few instruments?”

“Sounds good,” Noctis agreed. “We can get those gems Dino wants at the same time.”

“Noct, why don’t you drive for once?” Gladio suggested. “Give Iggy a rest.”

“Uh, sure?”

The group piled into the car, Noctis taking the wheel while Ignis took the seat in the back beside Aurora. Just as Noctis started driving, Aurora’s phone buzzed and she pulled it out of her pocket. Dino had finally texted her the details of the festival that was going to take place at the Quay.

She would be one of a few people performing, playing the middle set, and she would even get a free night stay at the Mother of Pearl’s hotel. “Ooouu,” She cooed, eyes sparkling at the thought of staying at a really nice hotel.

“Did something interesting happen?” Gladio asked as he looked over at Aurora’s phone.

“I’m getting a free stay at the fancy hotel the night before the festival, I’m so excited!” Aurora bounced around in her seat like a giddy child.

“Noct, are we there yet?” Prompto whined as he wiggled in the passenger seat. 

“Yeah, it’s not much farther now,” Noctis said as he rolled his eyes. 

“I don’t blame him, this is taking forever.” Aurora sighed, slouching in her seat.

“Look, it’s not my fault we got roped into this. If you want to blame someone, blame the immortal whiner back there,” Noctis pointed to Aurora, who merely shrugged.

“Speaking of immortal,” Prompto hopped up on the seat and turned to face the passengers in the back. “Can you even be killed? Like, do you think you can die?”

“I’m sure I can,” there was a pause as she felt Ignis’s eyes searing into her. “B-but I’ve never tried to find out.”

“I guess you wouldn’t, you’re right,” Prompto laughed at himself. “That was a silly question. Why would you try dying? What am I thinking?”

“Yeah,” Aurora slouched even further into her seat. “That is a silly question…”

Once Prompto sat back in his seat properly, Aurora began scratching her arm with reckless abandon, unable to shake her anxious feelings. The scratching stopped when she felt Ignis place his hand over hers, stroking it with his thumb.

She looked up at him but he was busy looking at the scenery passing by. “We’re nearly there,” he stated. 

Aurora quickly stepped out of the car once it had stopped. Not even waiting for the boys on either side of her to get out first, she just hopped over the back of the car and began walking down the steps to the river Dino said the gems would be at. 

“Hey, Rory, don’t go off on your own!” Prompto called out as he ran to her. He placed his arm on her shoulder. “Gotta stick together, right?”

“Right,” Aurora smiled sweetly, trying to mask her anxieties from the car ride.

“Now let’s go find those gems!” Prompto raised a fist in the air.

“We should be careful,” Aurora warned. “There’s probably--”

“Gah! Big chompy lizards!” Prompto interrupted her once he saw the Seadevils nearby.

“I’m going all out!” Noctis yelled as he warped to the scene, taking out one of the Seadevils. 

“Be cautious, those jaws are powerful!” Aurora threw a dagger at the beast that was about to attack Prompto. He quickly shot it down.

“Thanks,” He huffed as they met back to back.

“Don’t mention it. Stick with me and you’ll be fine,” Aurora picked up the dagger at her feet and readied herself to take out another Seadevil with Prompto...but he had already left. “Prompto?”

The healer looked around and found him near the water where a Seadevil was hiding, waiting for him. “Uh oh,” she mumbled. The beast sprang out of the water and bit down onto Prompto’s leg.

“AAHH!!” The young blonde cried as the beast started dragging him closer to the water to drown him. 

Everyone was quick to react. Noctis shot the monster to distract it while Ignis pulled Prompto to safety. Gladio managed to kill it by slicing it in two with his broadsword. 

“Aaahg!!” Prompto cried out as Aurora ran over to him. The other boys took to finishing off the rest of the straggling Seadevils.

“Lemme take a look at your leg,” she said as she crouched down to examine his wound. It was pretty bad--no, it was _really_ bad. The beast had tore open his skin and even left a few of its teeth embedded into his leg. She could see a little bit of bone through all the blood. She inhaled sharply.

“Is it bad?” Prompto was crying at this point. “It feels really bad. Should I look?”

Aurora stopped him from looking down at his leg by pushing him so he was lying on his back. “I’m gonna need some help over here!” She called out.

“Oh Gods, it’s bad!”

“I’m here,” Ignis crouched next to her, his eyes going wide for a moment when he saw the state of Prompto’s leg. “What do you need?”

“I need you to rip his pant leg open so I can treat him without interference. Don’t worry about cutting his skin, we can fix it later,” She began as she shrugged off her cardigan. “We need to work fast for this to work.”

Ignis was already cutting through the material of Prompto’s pants before the younger blonde could even protest. “H-hey! My pants!” He started wiggling around.

“Gladio! Get over here and keep him steady!” Aurora called out. The tattooed man ran over and held Prompto down.

“It huuurrrttsss!!” He wailed.

“Give him an elixir to help numb the pain, this isn’t gonna be pretty,” Aurora said as she dug her hand inside of his leg.

“GAAHHH!!” Prompto screamed.

Aurora pulled out a long jagged tooth from his leg and immediately went back in to get the second one, ignoring Prompto’s screams. Ignis had given him the elixir but it didn’t seem to do much good, the blonde was still writhing around and screaming.

“Noct,” Aurora said as she looked up at the prince. He was staring at Prompto’s leg with a face that looked as if he was about to throw up. “Stop watching me and go comfort your friend.” Aurora motioned her head toward Prompto as she went back to what she was doing. 

“Uh, right,” Noctis took Prompto’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “Hey buddy, it’s gonna be okay.”

“How does it look?” The blonde asked, tears streaming down his face.

“Don’t answer that,” Aurora said quickly. “Ignis I need you to hold these muscles together.”

“Muscles? My insides are showing?!” Prompto tried looking down at what Aurora was doing but Gladio kept a firm hold on him. “Oh sweet Shiva, I’m gonna die.”

“Can it.” Gladio covered the weeping boy’s mouth as Ignis did what he was told. 

Aurora grabbed her lyre and didn’t even bother playing a nice tune, she just plucked a couple strings haphazardly and the muscles began to heal. “Okay, now hold these together.”

“Right.” 

This went on for nearly twenty minutes until Ignis was able to fully close his wound while Aurora healed it. She was breathing heavily at that point, sweat dripping down the side of her face, plucking the lyre one last time before falling onto her rear. “We’re done.” 

“How do you feel, Blondie?” Noctis asked as Prompto sat up.

The freckled boy looked down at his leg. There were no puncture wounds but a lot of blood and his pants were ruined. He wiggled his leg around and flexed the muscles. No pain, no complications. “It’s like it never even happened,” Prompto looked over at Aurora in amazement. “You’re incredible!”

Aurora only smiled weakly as the young man stood up and jumped around to test his newly healed leg. “Are you alright?” Ignis asked, placing a bloody hand on her shoulder. He immediately regretted his action, taking his hand away but not before he left a bloody handprint on her skin. “Ah, apologies.”

“It’s fine,” Aurora focused on her breathing. “I used a lot of magic just now, I need a minute to catch my breath.”

“Good job, Rore,” Gladio ruffled her hair as he passed her, walking back to the haven with the younger boys. “You two should go clean off in the river. I’ll bring over the bath stuff.”

  
  


“Here,” Aurora handed Ignis the little bag with shampoo and bodywash. “You go get naked in the river while I undo all my hair stuff. I’ll even turn around so you don’t get shy.”

“Must you phrase it like that?” Ignis sighed as he took the bag.

“It gets the point across,” she said with a shrug while she sat herself on a flat rock by the river. She shuffled until she was facing away from the river, undoing her little braids. She placed every silver clasp down gently on the rock inside of a little groove so they wouldn’t roll away. She could hear the familiar sound of someone wading in the water as she finished taking out the jewelry in her hair.

“You are free to turn around if you wish,” Ignis said quietly behind her. Aurora scooched around until she was facing the water and found Ignis submerged from the waist down, washing the blood from his hands. He was facing away from her so she took the time to take in his details. His back had a nice S curve and had a few cute beauty marks. The advisor turned to meet her gaze, “Are you quite finished?”

“What? Am I not allowed to look at a naked man in the river?” She asked as she carted her fingers through her hair, upsetting her curls and making them poofy. Ignis said nothing, merely turning his head in a huff. Aurora snickered at his reaction. “Would it help if I was also naked?”

“No, but seeing as that’s the whole point of you being here with me, you can feel free to do as you please,” he said before he washed the suds off of his body by submerging himself into the river. When he came back up Aurora couldn’t help the blush that crept up her cheeks as she followed a few water droplets that cascaded down his pecs and caught a glimpse of his abs in the process. His lean muscles flexed when he lifted his arms to push his hair back from his face. He looked like he was posing for a damn photoshoot. 

Is it, like, really hot all of a sudden?

_Holy fuck_

_Is Ignis actually hot???_

She had seen him nearly naked before when they first met but that seemed different. She was too busy trying to keep him from dying to actually appreciate the way he looked.

“Okay, naked time!” Aurora blurted. Her voice cracked. Great. She cleared her throat. “Can you turn around so I can get in?”

Ignis obliged and turned around as Aurora began stripping herself of her clothes. She pulled her sandals off and stood up to shimmy out of her pants. She looked over at the haven to see if the other boys were getting a glimpse of her standing there completely naked but they were too busy chatting to notice. 

She took a deep breath before jumping into the river, making a very large splash and soaking Ignis. “Was that necessary?” He asked once her head emerged from the water.

“Always,” She replied, then extended her hand toward him. “Gimme the body wash.”

Ignis reached to grab the body wash from the rock he had placed it on and threw it to Aurora between the short distance they were apart. She missed and it fell into the water, splashing her face. 

She recovered quickly, turning so that she could stand up with only her waist in the water and began washing off all of Prompto’s blood from her arms and shoulders. 

“I noticed you have a scar on your left arm,” Ignis said from behind her. “Curious, seeing how you’re able to heal such a grievous wound like earlier without so much as an indication it was there in the first place.”

Aurora looked at her arm as she washed it. He was right, there was a decent sized scar on her forearm near the juncture of her elbow. She covered it with her other hand. “Yeah...I didn’t heal it in time.” She submerged her arm and began to scratch at the scarred area nervously. “Hey, uh, thanks for your help back there. It went way smoother with you helping like that.”

“I couldn’t very well leave you to do something like that alone,” Ignis said as he began to wash his hair. “Not with Prompto screeching like that.”

Aurora huffed. She felt Ignis tap her shoulder with the bottle of shampoo and took it without turning around. “You kept your cool, that’s something I really needed.”

He nudged her lightly, letting her know he was present in the conversation, “I’m glad I could help.”

  
  


“Hey Prom, how’s your leg doing?” Aurora asked as Ignis prepared dinner for the night. She was sitting on the haven floor between Gladio’s legs while he played with her hair, giving her little braids. She almost started drooling when he scratched her scalp.

“It’s doing great!” Prompto wiggled his leg. “It’s a little sore but, eh, I’ll live.”

“You’ll probably experience some swelling in the morning so let me know if the pain gets any worse, okay?”

“Sure thing! Thanks again for healing me. I know I was a screaming mess the whole time,” Prompto laughed nervously. He sat down next to Gladio and quietly asked if he could teach him how to braid hair.

“It’s fine, Prom. You’re not the worst patient I’ve ever had,” Aurora said as Prompto tried braiding her hair with Gladio’s help. She began fiddling with the two Seadevil teeth she dug out of Prompto’s leg earlier that day, poking and prodding at them with a crudely made sharp bit of metal.

“Then who was the worst?” Noct asked from the other side of the fire.

“It was 20 years ago. I was traveling around as a hunter doing some medic jobs,” Aurora explained. “I got a job to find this hunter that hadn’t come home in a while. I fully expected this guy to be dead but when I found him he was alive kicking... literally. His right arm and left leg were severely infected and needed to be amputated asap so I had to do emergency surgery.”

“Were there complications during the surgery?” Ignis asked from the camp kitchen. 

“Not technically--yipe!” Aurora yelped as her hair was pulled.

“Ah! Sorry about that!” Prompto rubbed her head apologetically.

“It’s okay. Anyway, the actual surgery was fine. It was all the shit in between that sucked,” Aurora huffed. “Once the guy found out he was going to lose two of his limbs he ran away. Took me and a couple other people another whole day to find him. Not to mention he broke my nose when I found him.”

“Wow,” Noctis laughed. “He really didn’t want to let go of those limbs.”

“I know how he feels,” Prompto sighed. Aurora got up from her sitting position to walk behind the blonde. She wrapped a necklace around his neck. “Huh? What’s this?”

“It’s your spoils of war,” Aurora smiled as she poked at the necklace. It consisted of the two Seadevil teeth and a few of the metal bits that used to be in Aurora’s hair, now repurposed to give the necklace some flair. “To remind you of the intense battle you survived. Since you don’t have the scars to prove it, you can wear this.”

“Hey wow! Thanks, Rory!” Prompto beamed.

“Now we know where Dino got his interest in being a jeweler,” Ignis hummed.

  
  
  
  


“You ready for a sparring match, Rore?” Gladio asked as they walked back to the river the next morning.

“I’m so pumped!” Aurora punched the air in front of her. “You’re going down today, Gladio.”

“If I may,” Ignis interrupted. The duo turned to see Ignis with his hand on his hip. “I haven’t had the pleasure of sparring with Aurora, myself.”

“Well, look at you mister liar,” Aurora snorted as she walked up to him, poking his cheek. “We have had plenty of fights. The last one ended with this nice little cut on your cheek and me with a bloody nose.”

“Those were ill mannered spats, not the kind of sparring you and Gladio have been doing every morning,” Ignis explained. “Though, I would understand if you’re a bit too afraid to try again.”

“Ooooouuu,” Prompto could be heard ‘oouing’ from the haven. “A new challenger has entered the ring!”

“Do it!!” Noctis cried from the haven. 

“Alright,” Aurora huffed through her nose with a smile. She turned to Gladio, “Mind sitting this one out?”

“Sure thing,” Gladio smiled as he ruffled her hair and went to sit with the other boys. “Careful, Iggy. She’s smart.”

“What say we raise the stakes,” Ignis said as they faced each other by the river. Aurora cocked her head with intrigue. “If I win, I get the room at the Quay as well as a bottle of wine you will so graciously purchase for me.”

“A bit cocky, aren’t we?” Aurora smirked. “But since I don’t plan on losing, I’ll accept.”

“And what are your conditions?” Ignis asked as he flipped his daggers masterfully in his hands.

“Obviously I would keep my free stay at the Quay but I do like the idea of you buying me more expensive wine,” Aurora chided with a sly smirk. “Are you good at giving massages?”

“I am but doesn’t the Quay have professionals for that?”

“That’s no fun,” Aurora smiled, sticking her tongue out a little. “It’s funnier if you’re my personal masseuse because you lost a bet.”

“Can Aurora cook for the night if she loses?” Prompto asked. “I’m really craving more of her cooking.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Ignis rolled his eyes.

“Hey Iggy, how about you give Rore a kiss when you lose?” Gladio called down to him.

“No more comments from the peanut gallery!” Aurora yelled as she pointed one of her daggers at the boys up in the haven.

“Are you quite ready?”

“Yup,” Aurora got into a fighting stance, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Ready, set, go!!”

The sparring match began with a fever of swiping and clashing of metal. Aurora concentrated on winning and not that Ignis was slowly backing her into the river.

He tried to throw her off by switching his weapon to a polearm. “Whoa!” Aurora strafed so Ignis wouldn’t stab her and rolled out of the way. “Hey, if you get to change weapons then so do I! Gladio!”

With a nod, Gladio threw another one of her weapons down and she caught it gracefully. 

“A bow?” Ignis raised an eyebrow. “How primitive.”

“Then it shouldn’t be a problem for you, huh?” Aurora smirked as she let an arrow fly. She completely missed Ignis as the arrow flew past him.

“An admirable attempt but--” Ignis stopped as he suddenly felt very dizzy. “W-what is this?”

“Remember what I said about the lyre not being the thing that’s magic?” Aurora asked as she readied another arrow. “So long as I have something to channel my magic I can use it however I like.”

“Uh oh, Iggy’s in trouble,” Prompto gasped. “And here I thought I could get another taste of Rory’s cooking.”

“It’s not over yet,” Noctis pointed to Ignis as he pulled out a spell.

Ignis could see the general direction Aurora was and threw the spell at her. There was an explosion of thunder and fire as Aurora screamed, the blast sending her into the river. 

Aurora resurfaced and groaned at the pain in her now burned hand. She shook the feeling away, she could always heal it later. She saw that Ignis wasn’t confused any longer and narrowly dodged a dagger that was thrown in her direction. “Joke’s on you, I have your dagger now!” Aurora said as she waved it above her head. Just as she said that, the dagger disappeared from her grasp and reappeared in Ignis’s hand. “Welp.” Aurora blew bubbles in the water.

Aurora didn’t have the luxury of being able to summon her weapons like the boys could. She looked over at the shore to find her bow and one of her daggers laying on the ground. She blew more bubbles in frustration. 

She thought for a moment. Using any elemental spell while she was in the water would either not work or cause herself some serious damage and if she stayed in the water any longer, Ignis would also figure that out and throw an ice spell at her to freeze the water. She opted to get out of the water, throwing her one remaining dagger at Ignis to distract him while she rolled to get her other weapons. 

Just as she got her bow ready, Ignis threw another dagger at her and snapped the string of her bow. “Oh, come on!!” Aurora yelled. Ignis was about to strike her with his polearm but Aurora ducked and uppercut him with the wood of her bow. 

Ignis fell backwards, giving Aurora the opportunity she needed to get on top of him and pin him down, dagger at his neck. “Pinned.”

“Woo! Go Rory!” Prompto cheered as the other two boys came down.

“Nice job, Rore,” Gladio smiled as he helped Ignis up. “Well, go give her that kiss, Iggy.”

“We didn’t agree on that,” Aurora grumbled, not amused with Gladio’s antics.

Ignis took Aurora’s hand and gave it a light kiss; that single action sent a surge of energy through her body. “But it is well deserved,” he said. 

“Uh...thanks,” The healer mumbled, rubbing her hand.

“You fought well, I’m very impressed,” Ignis smiled. “I suppose this means I own you another bottle of wine.”

“And another string for my poor bow,” Aurora sighed as she looked at the sorry state of her bow. She rubbed the back of her neck with an exaggerated groan, playing up the pain that was only very minor, “I also got this thing in my neck that could use a massage. Y’know, given you’re now my personal masseuse.”

“Rory!!” Prompto waved from the haven to get the healer’s attention. “Can you still cook tonight?”

“It seems I’m being replaced,” Ignis groaned.

Aurora giggled as she rubbed his arm sympathetically. “Would you mind taking the night off?”

“I suppose not.”

“Woohoo!!” Prompto cheered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great week :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A break at Aurora's house before the festival. This one's a bit more chill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, remember when I put minor PTSD as the tag? Good times.
> 
> Should I recommend songs for you to listen to when Aurora plays something?  
> Listen to despair by leo., it's a bop and is kinda relevant lol
> 
> Warning!!  
> This chapter contains depictions of gore, self harm, and mentions of suicide

“And here we are!” Aurora extended her arms in a grand gesture as they approached her home. "Mind the Griffon."

"The WHAT?!" Prompto immediately shielded himself as he looked up into the sky.

"Yeah, there's one that lives around here but she mostly keeps to herself," Aurora shrugged as she checked the little mailbox near the cottage. "Ah, nothing but junk mail." She sifted through the junk mail and in the middle was a letter addressed to her with the royal symbol of the Lucis Caelum family. Her heart nearly stopped as she stared at the letter, subtly slipping it out of the box and into her bag without the boys noticing.

Prompto looked up at the cottage, “It’s so...mossy?” He commented. He wasn’t wrong. The roof was covered in a blanket of moss while small patches of the stuff was wedged between the logs that made up the exterior walls. Aurora walked up the uneven stone steps and unlocked the door, inviting the boys inside. “Is it just as mossy inside as it is outside?” Prompto asked as he followed Aurora inside.

She laughed as he entered her home, “No, but there’s no shortage of flora.” Prompto looked around for the flora she spoke of, finding herbs and flowers tied up in bunches and hung upside down on the walls and ceiling of the kitchen. There were pots of flowers sitting on nearly every surface. It was hard to find an area of the house that didn’t have greenery. 

“Sooooo, are you, like, a witch or something?” Prompto asked. 

Noctis elbowed him, “Don’t ask a woman if she’s a witch.”

“What? Witchcore is a thing!” Prompto tried to defend himself. “All she needs are some skulls and a few crystals and BAM! Witch!”

“I prefer to think of this as a cozy cabin aesthetic,” Aurora shrugged as she made her way to the bedroom. “You boys make yourselves comfortable while I set up sleeping accommodations.” 

Prompto sat on one of the barstools near the kitchen island. “Whoa, look at all these sleeping pills!” He picked up one of the many bottles. Aurora heard him from the other room and ran to get him. Before she turned the corner she found Ignis already taking the bottle from Prompto’s hand, as well as the other bottles on the island.

“She used to have trouble sleeping but does not need the help of hypnotics anymore,” he turned to face Aurora, “Do you wish for me to dispose of these?”

“No, I’ll take them. Thank you, Ignis,” Aurora said as she took the bottles from Ignis and stuffed them in her bag. “You never know when you’re gonna need a good night’s sleep.” Ignis pressed his lips together into a thin line, unable to shake the awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

  
  


“Why would you sleep on the couch if you had an extra room this whole time?” Ignis questioned as he followed Aurora into the spare bedroom. 

Aurora flipped the switch and the light revealed a double bed with far too many boxes occupying it. “Does that answer your question?”

“Indeed,” Ignis nodded. 

“I had packed up a lot of my things for when my family would take it all away,” Aurora explained as she grabbed a box to put it away. “Y’know, for when they found me dead.”

“Let’s not talk about that so casually, shall we?” Ignis dismissed her as he grabbed a box and followed her out of the room. “Where would you like me to put this?”

“Actually, you can give that box to Noctis,” Aurora placed the box in her hands down on the floor of the living area. “It’s filled with all the things Regis sent me. He would update me frequently on what Noctis had been up to.”

There was a light gasp from Prompto, “Are there baby pics?” Aurora nodded and Prompto squealed with joy, opening the box and rummaging through the pics and miscellaneous items. “Hey, is this a pic of you holding Noct?”

Aurora took the picture from Prompto and took a good look at it. The picture consisted of Aurora holding Noctis close to her face with a big smile. Her hair was shorter and in a little puffy bun with Griffon feathers poking out. She exhaled through her nose with an amused smile, “Yeah, that’s when I first met Noctis and when his father practically begged me to protect him,” She lifted the picture slightly over her shoulder where Ignis was peering so he could get a better look, “Once I said I’d do it he wasted no time in sending me all the pictures he possibly could.”

“Got any other pictures of when you were younger?” Gladio asked as he began looking through the box.

“I’m always young, Gladio,” Aurora retorted with a smirk. Gladio rolled his eyes. “But yes, I’m sure I have one you’ll all appreciate.”

Aurora went back into the spare bedroom and came back with a framed picture. She handed it to Prompto and his eyes went wide, “Whoa-ho-ho! Love the hair!” 

He handed the picture to Noctis. He was taken aback for a moment, “How many piercings did you have?” 

“Eh, about 20ish?” Aurora took the picture from Noctis and examined herself. Her hair was shaved on one side, cobalt blue, and she had many piercings. “I like to call this look my third midlife crisis. Now I’m back to mostly muted colours and I don’t give a shit about standing out.”

Gladio took the frame and looked over the picture, “I’m only counting 17 piercings, where are the other three?” Aurora raised an eyebrow with a sly smirk. “Oh nice, you have nipple piercings? That’s hot.”

There was a small crashing sound from the spare room. “Apologies!” Ignis called, clearing his throat as he exited the room. “Lost my footing.”

Aurora let out an amused huff before turning back to Gladio, “I  _ had _ nipple piercings. They kept getting caught in things and I didn’t want to deal with one of them being accidentally ripped out,” Aurora shrugged, lifting her shirt to reveal an ornate belly button piercing. “I still have this, though. I also obviously still have a lot of my ear piercings.”

"Hmm, that's a little different than the clit piercing I thought you had," Gladio hummed.

"Hey!" Aurora smacked him playfully, a blush dusting her cheeks. “I haven’t done anything too crazy. Just things I’ll most likely fall back on like ear piercings and blue hair.”

“Blue hair?” Ignis perked up.

“Yeah, check it out,” Aurora handed him the photo. “Pretty different from my current look, huh?”

“Indeed,” he said softly as he ran his fingers down the picture. “How long ago did you have blue hair?”

“Uh, I dunno. Twelve or thirteen years ago?” Aurora thought out loud. “It...was the last time I ever visited the crown city.”

“I see.” Ignis fiddled with the pendant around his neck. “Were you a medic in the hospital after Noct’s accident?”

“That’s a little specific, Specs,” Noctis teased.

“I sure was. Nice pendant, by the way. Looks lucky,” Aurora winked before going back into the spare room to grab another box. Ignis followed her but didn’t say anything, he just stared. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Crista.”

“Perhaps I have,” he shot back. “Considering I haven’t seen this young woman with blue hair in a very long time.”

“Maybe you’ll see her again one day,” Aurora shrugged. She tried leaving the room but Ignis stopped her.

“Stop toying with me,” he said in a hushed tone.

“But it’s more fun this way,” Aurora giggled as she took the pendant between her fingers. “Been keeping this close?”

“Since the day you gave it to me,” Ignis gently took Aurora’s hand to keep her from touching the pendant. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I only put the pieces together a few days ago, myself,” the healer shrugged. “But it’s nice to know that you kept it. Makes me feel warm fuzzies. Like you actually have a heart down there somewhere.” Aurora poked Ignis in the chest where his heart was situated. 

“You assume I’m as cold to everyone as I was to you,” he teased. “You assume wrong. You were a special case on account of my not trusting you.”

“So I got the special asshole treatment--oh no, that sounds really bad,” Aurora covered her mouth and blushed. She tried to keep from laughing but when she saw Ignis having trouble keeping it together she couldn’t hold back any longer and the duo went into a giggle fit. It continued until they were keeled over laughing, Aurora using the bed as support and Ignis hiding his face against the wall. “I-I’m-heehee-I’m sorry!”

“I hear fun being had without me!” Prompto said as he peeked his head into the room. “What are you guys giggling about?”

“You had to be there,” Aurora replied as she wiped a tear from her eye. 

“Ahh, no fair,” The blonde whined as he exited the room. He caught a glimpse of an instrument hanging on the wall. “What a tiny guitar!” The blonde laughed as he picked up the small instrument. “Check it out, I’m a giant!” The boys laughed as he played the tiny instrument very badly but still managed to look like a rockstar. 

“That’s a ukulele,” Aurora interrupted their shenanigans. “One of my favourites.”

“Can you play us something?” Prompto handed her the ukulele. Aurora tuned the instrument before playing an upbeat tune and began to sing. The boys stared in awe once she finished.

“Um, tah-dah?” She shrugged, unable to read their expressions.

“Nice!” Gladio clapped, prompting the others to do the same. 

“You have a lovely singing voice,” Ignis smiled.

“Aha, thanks,” Aurora blushed lightly. “I’ve used it a few times to charm the enemies in battle.”

“Like a siren,” Prompto mused in a dreamy voice.

  
  


“Okay, the spare room is ready. You boys can fight over who’s sleeping with who in the spare bedroom and my bedroom. I’ll sleep on the couch,” Aurora explained as she placed the last box in the living room. 

“Actually, I already claimed the couch and the ladies agreed to take the spare room,” Gladio smirked, getting comfortable on the couch. “So, I guess you and Iggy are stuck together in your bed.”

“Great,” Aurora gave Gladio a look before turning to Ignis with a smile. “Looks like you and I are cuddle buddies again.”

Ignis turned from looking through the cupboards in the kitchen. “Splendid.” 

Everyone had fallen into a comfortable silence throughout the day, the younger boys played King’s Knight while sitting on the floor, Ignis was sitting on a barstool flipping through pages of Aurora’s old handwritten cookbooks, and Gladio asserted his dominance over the couch by taking up the whole damn thing for himself while reading.

“Hey, Gladio,” Aurora poked him in the side of the head to get his attention. “Want to help me get some veggies from the garden?”

“Yeah, sure,” Gladio put his book down and followed Aurora out of the house and around the back where a large garden was situated. He spotted a single grave overgrown with vines and flowers that obscured the name. He chose not to bring it up. “Can you pick some strawberries, please?”

“No problem,” Gladio crouched down next to the strawberry bushes and began picking the biggest ones, placing them in the basket Aurora had provided. “Why not get Iggy to help you? I’m sure he’d love to come out here and take a look at all the fresh veggies.”

“That’s actually why I asked you to come out here,” Aurora sighed, seemingly annoyed. “Why do you keep pairing me and Ignis together lately? First it was in the car, then you suggest he give me a kiss after we sparred, now it’s the bed situation, what gives?”

“Ever since you reconciled, I’ve wanted you two to start bonding as friends,” Gladio shrugged, throwing a handful of berries into the basket. “Besides, you two are cute together.”

Aurora threw a yam at him. “Don’t play matchmaker. I’m too old for any of you.”

“That's not what Iggy told me,” Gladio smiled, eating one of the berries. “He said you date men around the age you look until they outgrow you, for lack of a better term.”

Aurora pressed her lips together. “That little snitch,” she mumbled. “Yes, well, I’m done with that. It only ends in someone getting hurt because there is always that looming expiration date. So, forgive me if I don’t appreciate you shoving Ignis in my face as a suitor. Besides...he’s not my type.”

“That’s a big fat lie,” Gladio laughed. “He looks like your late husband.”

“How much is that bespectacled buffoon telling you?!” Aurora yelled with a very prominent blush on her face.

“The real question should be: why are you only telling Iggy all these juicy details about your life, huh?” Gladio asked as he stood up with a basket full of berries. “I thought you and I had something special, Rore. I’m hurt.”

“He’s not special, either. He’s just in the right place during my emotionally vulnerable moments,” Aurora turned away, the blush on her face getting worse. 

“Counter reason: you just don’t want to tell me you got a crush.”

Aurora threw another yam at Gladio. “I do not have a crush! I am over 200 years old. I do not get crushes. I do not need men, they only slow me down. I have no need for any human companionship, for the matter. No sir!” She got up and started walking back to the house with her basket of fresh veggies.

“The lady doth protest too much, me thinks,” Gladio spoke as the healer passed him. She stopped to look at him. He winked “Don’t worry, kid. Your secret is safe with me.”

“I--” Aurora stopped herself. She relaxed her shoulders with a long sigh. “...thank you.”

After their meal, everyone got ready for bed. They took turns showering and performing their nightly rituals.

“Aurora,” Ignis said as he walked into her bedroom, a towel covering his wet hair. “You are free to use the bathroom.”

“Thank you,” Aurora passed him and made her way to the bathroom. She stopped when she saw her tub filled, petals scattered across the top, and candles lit. “What’s all this?”

“I took the liberty of preparing a bath for you,” Ignis said from behind her as he dried his hair. “Seeing as I ruined your evening the night we met, I thought it only fair to recreate a portion of it.”

“A portion?” Aurora turned to face him.

“Obviously we don’t want you dying, so a bath will have to do,” he explained. “Now go, enjoy yourself.”

“I will,” Aurora smiled. “Thank you.”

Aurora sighed as she sank herself into the tub, the warmth engulfing her. The scent of lavender wafted into her nose, a welcome change from the regular smell of dirt and sweat. She let all the tension in her body melt away. She hadn’t realised how much she needed a quiet moment to herself. 

While traveling with the boys hadn’t been the worst experience she’s had, it wasn’t exactly luxurious, either. She lifted her arms from the tub and stared at them, taking in the details. All the sun freckles and beauty marks that littered them, the faint scars from years past, the large scar on her left arm. Such a pathetic reminder...she scratched at it, a common occurrence. 

(flashback)

Aurora sat up against the wall in the Citadel hallway, rocking back and forth as she scratched her arm. She had lost track of time, she had no idea how long she had been sitting there. How long she had been scratching. 

Her fingers felt wet.

She looked down at her arm and saw she had scratched so hard that her arm began to bleed. She didn’t stop. 

_ You couldn’t help him.  _

_ He’s going to die because of you.  _

_ How could you? _

_ You deserve this. _

“Aurora!” She could hear Cor’s frantic voice. “Aurora, what did you do!?”

“I couldn’t help him,” she whispered. 

Cor looked down at his girlfriend as she shook and bled. There was a sizely gash in her arm where her old scar usually is. She continued to scratch despite the blood dripping down her arm and soaking her clothes. 

“Stop,” Cor grabbed her wrist to keep her from further harming herself. He picked her up and rushed down the hall. “I need a medic!!”

(End flashback)

Aurora covered the scar on her arm and sighed heavily. 

Once she had enough, Aurora hopped out of the bath and wrapped herself in a towel before exiting the bathroom. She walked into her room to find Ignis laying on the bed flipping through his phone. He sat up when he noticed Aurora enter the room. 

“Ah, Aurora. Did you enjoy yourself?” He asked.

“I did,” she said as she made her way to the closet, rummaging through her clothes to find something appropriate to wear. “I see you left your hair down.”

“Yes, well, it would be a waste to style it before bed,” he stated. “Do you wish for me to leave while you change?”

“No, I’m going back into the bathroom, don’t worry.” Aurora waved him off as she walked back to the bathroom. She quickly changed into her oversized T-shirt before looking in the mirror. Her eyes were tired and her hair was still an unruly mess of curls. She placed her mess of curls in a top bun and washed her face. Her unaging face...

_ Still the same _

She huffed as she left the bathroom. She poked her head into the living room to find Gladio getting comfortable on the couch, book in hand. “Goodnight, Gladio.”

“Night Rore,” he waved, not even looking up from his book. 

She padded her way back to her room. Ignis was under the covers, still flipping through his phone. “What could you possibly be looking at?” She asked as she turned the light out, leaving only the dim light of the small lamp on the bedside table. 

“I’m keeping up with the news,” Ignis replied as Aurora shuffled into bed beside him. Ignis took off his glasses and handed them to Aurora. “Would you mind placing these on the nightstand?”

Aurora took the glasses and placed them on her face. “How do I look?”

“Like Aurora but with glasses.”

“I was hoping for an answer like ‘smarter’ or ‘more refined’,” she huffed as she placed the glasses on the nightstand. “That’s a weak prescription, by the way. It’s almost like you don’t actually need them.”

“While my vision is passable without them, I prefer to see things as clearly as possible,” he explained. 

“I’ve healed a few people from eye injuries in my earlier centuries but never thought of healing regular bad eyesight,” Aurora hummed. “Think I could give healing your vision a whirl?”

“While being your guinea pig sounds exciting, I will have to decline,” the advisor huffed in amusement. “We have more pressing matters than that.”

“Yes, because me participating in some random festival at the Quay is  _ so pressing _ ,” Aurora mocked as she laid down.

“Fine, you can try in the morning.”

“Yes!” Aurora wiggled and got comfy in bed, turning to face Ignis with a goofy smile. “Who knows, maybe tomorrow you'll have x-ray vision.”

Ignis chuckled, “I highly doubt that, Rory. Would you kindly shut that light out?”

Aurora rolled over to shut the lamp off. “So, I’m Rory now?”

“Do you not want to be? I can continue calling you Bug, if you prefer.”

“No, no, call me what you want, I don’t mind at this point,” she smiled as she got back under the covers. “Goodnight, Iggy.”

Another chuckle, “Goodnight, Rory.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say this chapter was chill? Oops lol
> 
> I wish I could post the picture of Aurora I have but posting pictures to a chapter is so convoluted and I currently don't have the drive to figure it out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A random festival because I wanted an excuse to have the boys watch Aurora perform.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me GRIEF, I'll tell you what. 
> 
> Turns out I don't know how to write massage scenes so enjoy whatever I was actually able to write, it took me days.  
> I also don't know how to write people performing even though that was the whole point of the festival, why did I do this to myself?
> 
> Listen to these bops if you feel like it, I had them in mind:  
> Smoke Signals by Cavetown ft Tessa Violet  
> Kill the Sun by Motherfolk  
> Window by Magic Giant  
> Stand by Me by Florence and The Machine (This one is obvious)
> 
> Have fun navigating through this mess of a chapter.

Ignis woke the next morning to a very grumpy lump laying beside him. The slightest movement made the lump growl. He turned on his side to fully face the mass of blankets, which were missing from his side of the bed, and lifted a portion to gaze inside. From the pitch black came a hand that attempted to swipe at him. A failed attempt.

The advisor chuckled as he lifted more of the blankets, revealing Aurora’s grumpy face under a mass of messy hair. “Good morning,” he spoke softly, pushing some of the hair from Aurora’s face. 

She whined pathetically, looking ready to cry. “It’s too early.”

“While I would be inclined to let you sleep in, you need to get ready for the festival,” Ignis explained as he crawled over her to get out of bed. “Get up.”

“Make me.”

Thinking Ignis would just sigh and leave the room like he usually did when she would be difficult during camping, Aurora wiggled to get comfortable under the multitude of blankets she piled onto herself during the night. She yelped in surprise when she felt his strong hands grip her ankles. 

She quickly grabbed the bars on her headboard to keep Ignis from pulling her out of bed. “Get up!” He repeated.

“Nooooo!” She cried. Ignis wouldn’t let up, eventually pulling her even harder, causing the bars Aurora was gripping to bend ever so slightly. 

This made Aurora gasp and, not wanting to ruin her headboard, let go. Her sudden release sent both of them falling backwards. Ignis had let go of her as he made contact with the wall, groaning slightly as he slid down to the floor. Aurora, on the other hand, tried landing on her feet with her newly freed ankles but lost her footing and fell backwards into Ignis, knocking the wind out of him. 

With her back now flush against his chest, Aurora could feel the vibrations of his unamused groaning. “Still think it was a good idea to drag me out of bed?” She asked, tilting her head to look up at him. 

Ignis blew a few hairs from his face before humming, the vibration making Aurora blush. “Better than trying to wake Noct,” he replied simply.

Aurora huffed a laugh as she got comfy, “Well, nap time,” she said as she rested her head on his chest.

“Absolutely not,” Ignis pushed her off of him as she giggled.

  
  


“Alright, I’m gonna pack up all the instruments into the Regalia,” Aurora called out as she exited the cottage, hands full.

“Need some help?” Noctis asked as he followed her.

“That would be lovely, thank you,” Aurora smiled as she motioned for him to take a couple of the smaller instruments in her hands. 

“Hey,” Noctis started as they walked to the car. “I’ve been meaning to ask...were you really close to my father?”

“Yeah, I was,” Aurora smiled. “He was like family.”

“Then how come you were never around? I only ever saw you in pictures,” Noctis turned to face Aurora once the instruments were put away. Aurora failed to meet his gaze. “What happened?”

“I failed you, that’s what happened,” Aurora stated quietly. “I was one of the medics trying to heal you after that terrible accident when you were 8. I could barely do anything to help. I felt so...useless. Once you were off in Tenebrae, I told Regis I was leaving for good.”

“But...why?”

“Look, Noct, I’ve got a lot of baggage. Over 200 years worth of the stuff. If I tell you all the reasons I left we’re gonna be here until you croak.” She rubbed his arm assuringly but Noctis pressed his lips together, wondering if he should press her for information. The healer didn’t give him the time as she began walking back to the cottage. “Come on, let’s gather the others and head to the Quay!!”

“Do you ever think about dying your hair again?” Prompto asked as they packed up the last of their things.

“Sometimes,” Aurora shrugged as she sat herself on the kitchen counter, eating strawberries. She threw one to Prompto and he caught it in his mouth with a triumphant fist pump. “I’ve had so many hair styles over the years that it’s almost inevitable that I change it again.”

“What would you change it to?”

“Probably blue again. I’ve been very fond of blue lately or maybe purple,” she turned to Ignis, who was doing dishes beside her. She picked at the fabric of his coeurl print shirt, “Like this colour.”

“I’m sure it would look lovely on you,” the advisor commented, not looking up from the dishes.

“Thanks Crista,” Aurora offered him a strawberry. He bent down slightly to take the berry in his mouth, humming a thank you. His lips grazed the healer’s finger and she shivered, bringing her hand close to her mouth.

_ Don’t put it in your mouth. Don’t be weird. _

_ Don’t put it in your mouth. _

_ DoN’T pUt It iN yOUr mOuTh. _

And so she put her finger in her mouth. A surge of energy shot through her body, causing her head to jerk back and hit her head on the kitchen cabinets. She groaned pathetically. Maybe she should actually listen to her own advice.

“What the hell was that?” Gladio laughed.

“I just had an intense chill,” Aurora blushed lightly as she hopped off of the counter in favour of gathering her things. “Let’s head out.”

  
  
  


Aurora hummed a happy tune as she and Ignis walked along the pier to the Mother of Pearl. His hair was still down from the night before, he didn’t care to style it. “I’m so excited to lay in a huge bed!” She said with a stretch. “And get a nice fancy bottle of wine, courtesy of my good pal Crista.” She nudged Ignis playfully.

“I am choosing to believe you won with luck,” Ignis sighed. 

“Pffft, what happened to you being impressed with my skills, huh? Besides,” she hopped in front of him to prevent the advisor from walking any further along the pier, poking at his pendant. “You’re the one with the lucky pendant, not me.”

“That was before the realisation of having to spend more money on you set in,” he retorted.

“Ooou, my little old lady heart,” Aurora cried, feigning fragility. She placed a hand on her heart and draped an arm over her forehead dramatically. “Whatever happened to men wanting to care for the women of their country? Chivalry is truly dead. What am I to do?”

“Dial down the dramatics, perhaps?” Ignis sighed, covering Aurora’s mouth. 

“Mmm, mm, mmmmm!” Aurora’s words were muffled by Ignis’s hand. She removed his hand, “Pah! Rude.” She sneered at the advisor. “But thank you for helping me carry my instruments.”

“Yes, well, what’s one more task I have to do for you,” Ignis sighed dramatically.

Aurora giggled and shoved him playfully, “And you were pestering  _ me _ about my dramatics? Get real.”

They entered the hotel room after greeting the chef of the Mother of Pearl, Coctura. Aurora had scanned her for a ring but couldn’t see one. “Guess he hasn’t proposed yet,” she said as she placed her instruments on a chair.

“To whom are you referring?” Ignis placed the instruments he was carrying beside Aurora’s.

“Oh, Dino is courting that pretty chef,” she explained as she got comfortable on the bed with her guitar, tuning it. “He told me he was going to ask her to marry him soon. Either she’s not wearing her ring or he hasn’t found the right time to do it.”

“And you would know a thing or two about engagements?” Ignis sat on the edge of the bed.

“You already know I was married once before but that was so long ago that I don’t remember how anything happened. It was over 200 years ago,” Aurora shrugged. “I’ve had multiple men ask for my hand over the years. Most of them were delirious patients I was treating but, eh, what’s the difference?”

There was a knock at the door. Ignis got up from the bed and answered it. A bright eyed employee smiled up at Ignis, “Good afternoon!” They chimed. “I’m here to deliver this.” The employee pushed a small cart into the room. It had a bucket of ice, a bottle of champagne nestled inside, a couple champagne flutes, and a small dish with chocolate covered strawberries. “Enjoy.” The employee bowed before taking their leave.

“Champagne? That’s a little fancy, wouldn’t you say?” Aurora laughed as she peeked at the goodies. “Did we accidentally walk into the honeymoon suite? I don’t remember marrying you.”

Ignis picked up the little note that was resting between the champagne flutes. “Dino sends his regards.”

“Of course it was Dino,” Aurora rolled her eyes with a smile. She hopped off of the bed as Ignis was popping the cork. “But, we shouldn’t let it go to waste.”

“Heavens, no,” Ignis offered her a champagne flute and lifted his own. “Cheers.”

“What are they doing?” Prompto asked as Noctis peered over the water with binoculars. The boys were camping out at the haven just across the water from Aurora’s room at the Quay. Prompto shook Noctis. “Noct, what are they doing?”

Noctis shoved the blonde off of him. “Quit it, I’m trying to get a good view!” Noctis looked through the binoculars again. “They’re just drinking fancy drinks and talking.”

“Ah, lame!”

“Hey, uh,” Aurora placed her empty champagne flute on the bedside table. “Wanna hear a song I was planning on playing tomorrow?”

“Mm,” Ignis nodded, mouth full of champagne. “Yes, I’d love to hear you play.”

Aurora picked up her guitar, nestling it in her lap, and plucking a few practice strings. She cleared her throat, “This is called Smoke Signals.”

She began playing a dreamy melody.

  
  


“It looks like she’s playing a song now,” Noctis reported.

“Serenading ol’ Igster,” Prompto snickered. 

“Are you ladies gonna help make camp, or what?” Gladio growled from his spot on the other side of the haven. 

Once the song was complete, Aurora looked up at Ignis, who was almost staring at her in an enamoured fashion. “Enchanting.” He mused with a small smile. Aurora smiled back, a small blush dusting her cheeks.

“Thank you. It’s uh, it’s usually a duet but I don’t have anyone to sing with and...” she trailed off and placed the guitar on the bed beside her. “Sorry if I get a little bit weird when you compliment me. I’m used to you wanting to insult me, not smile and praise me.”

“I apologize if it makes you uncomfortable. I could insult you again if that would put your mind at ease,” Ignis smirked. Aurora let out a laugh.

“No, no, I prefer the praise. Tell me again how amazing I am,” she giggled. 

Ignis huffed in amusement, “Why don’t I just give you that massage I owe you?”

“Uhhhh,” Aurora let out a continuous ‘uh’ as she thought of the reality of getting a massage. Nearly naked, Ignis touching her, oh dear oh dear oh dear. She blushes as she brings her knees to her chest. “Aha, actually, I was just being facetious the other day about the massage thing. You don’t have to do that, I’ll just go get one from one of the people outside.”

“Nonsense,” Ignis waved off her remark. “It was a fair fight and you won. I agreed to this. It’s no trouble.”

“No, I was being a gremlin when I added that to the wager. It’s--”

“Lie down.”

Aurora’s brain had practically short circuited. It took her a moment to gather her scattered thoughts and come back to reality. “Uh...should I take my shirt off or…?”

“If you wish to, it would be much more comfortable,” Ignis shrugged as he rolled up his sleeves and took off his gloves. He was courteous enough to turn his head when Aurora took off her shirt and unhooked her bra. 

“Gah!” Noctis put the binoculars down and blushed.

“What happened?” Gladio asked as he sat in one of the folding chairs.

“She took her shirt off,” he mumbled. Gladio immediately swiped the binoculars so he could have a look.

“Dude! Is she getting naked in front of Iggy?!” Prompto gasped.

“Nah, looks like she’s just getting that massage he’s supposed to give her,” Gladio shrugged.

She laid down on her stomach on her bed, waiting for Ignis to say something. She heard the clinking of bottles.

“I procured some massage oils from the employees outside,” he stated. “Do you mind?”

_ Oils. Holy shit, he's really going all out. _

“That’s fine,” she said quietly, trying to clear her mind of the images from the multitudes of pornos she’d seen over the years that had to do with massages.

_ He’s just a friend, you perv. _

Her back arched involuntarily when Ignis touched her. “Is something wrong?”

“Ah, no, I just wasn’t prepared. Sorry,” her voice was muffled by the comforter of the bed, her face firmly squished against it.

Ignis worked her tired muscles, placing just enough pressure in all the right places. It took everything Aurora had not to moan. “Aurora,” Ignis spoke softly. “I can feel you tensing. Relax.”

“Look, it’s not often people touch me,” she mumbled into the comforter. She could afford to dance around the truth a little, it wasn’t the time to say anything too drastic. Not when she was topless. “Being vulnerable like this is...rare.”

“Well, I’m honoured you feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable around me...around us,” his hands migrated up to her neck and shoulders. Aurora tried as hard as she could to keep the shiver that ran up her spine at bay but Ignis still caught it. “Am I making you uncomfortable, Bug?”

More grumbling into the comforter. “I’m fine.”

“Are you just fine or is it at least somewhat enjoyable?” Ignis almost sounded disappointed with his own performance, stopping his ministrations for a moment.

“Oh,” Aurora lifted her head from the bed and turned to look at him. “No, no, this is...this is really nice. Can you keep going?” Ignis smiled.

As he continued his slow pace, Aurora felt more comfortable letting out a couple small moans. They almost seemed to spur Ignis to do more, adding more pressure to the spots he noted were more enjoyable for her. More small moans. 

“Is anything exciting happening?” Prompto whined.

“Not really,” Gladio replied, throwing the binoculars down on the cooler. “Just the massage.”

“Man, I was kinda hoping some magic would happen,” Noctis sighed, taking out his phone. 

“What, did you except them to start fuckin’ against the window?”

Noctis blushed. “N-no, I just...ah, forget it.”

Time seemed to have flown by once Aurora had finally relaxed. Ignis had finished massaging her and poured them both another glass of champagne.

Not bothering to put her bra back on, Aurora quickly slipped her top back on while Ignis wasn’t looking. “Why are you so good at everything?” Aurora whined as she flopped onto the bed. “You can’t be good looking and talented. It’s not fair!”

Ignis huffed in amusement, crossing his arms, “Not fair to whom, exactly?”

“The world,” she raised her arms and wiggled them in an attempt to get her point across.

“Hmm, yes, I’d be jealous as well if I had to be in my company,” Ignis mused as he sat on the edge of the bed. The healer whined as she rolled on the bed until making contact with Ignis’s lower back.

“You’re insufferable,” she grumbled.

“And  _ you _ are an ingrate,” Ignis patted her head. “I gave you a wonderful massage and I haven’t heard a thank you.”

“Don’t I thank you enough at this point? I seem to be doing that every other day,” Aurora propped herself up on her elbow, resting her head in her hand. “Because you’re such a stand up guy now.” Her words weren’t exactly praise. It was almost like a backhanded compliment.

“I carry the team,” he stated bluntly. Aurora knew it was meant as a joke and lightly shoved him.

“Your shoulders must be tense, then,” she hopped onto her knees and shuffled behind Ignis. “How about I give you a massage as thanks for giving me one?”

“If you insist, but there are professionals just outside of this room,” he sighed.

Aurora puffed her cheeks. “Hey, I’ve been studying the human body since before you were born. I think I know how to give a massage with my literal magic fingers,” she extended her arms out on either side of him, wiggling her fingers in front of his face. Her chest was flush against his back. She had to pause for a moment to take in the tingling sensation she felt before brushing it off.

“They seem rather normal to me,” the advisor teased as he took one of her hands to examine it closer. Aurora began to regret the current situation she put herself in as the tingling feeling got worse with every movement of Ignis’s fingers along her hand. “Small, dainty, you’d never imagine they could fight so well.”

“Is that a compliment?” She snorted, trying her best not to sound distressed.

“Yes,” he said simply as he leaned his head back, now resting on her shoulder.

_ aaaaaAAAAAHHHHHHH _

_ Fuck, are we having a moment? _

_ Should I kiss him? _

“Uh, thanks, I guess,” she mumbled. 

_ You fool _

“What’s with you and the compliments lately? I thought my temperament was  _ ‘less than desirable’ _ ,” she mocked in his accent.

“You have your moments.”

Aurora didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to think. This man tried to kill her on multiple occasions and here she was being showered in his praise, getting massages, drinking champagne, and is now completely enamoured. “You should probably head back to see the guys,” she mumbled.

“Yes, I should take my leave,” Ignis lifted his head from Aurora’s shoulder and slowly rose to his feet. “What kind of wine would you like?”

“Don’t worry about the wine,” She waved him off. “I have the rest of this champagne to keep me company.”

“If you say so,” Ignis smiled warmly. “Good night, Aurora.”

“Nighty night, Iggy,” Aurora waved. 

Once Ignis had left, it didn’t take Aurora long before she left her room and sat on one of the bar stools at Coctura’s kitchen. “Hello Aurora,” the woman smiled warmly. “What can I get you?”

“Fish,” Aurora mumbled, her chin resting on the table. She felt much more limber and sleepy after her massage.

“You’ll have to be a  _ little _ more specific than that,” Coctura laughed.

Aurora looked up at Coctura from her slumped over position. “Actually, could you make a few meals for me?”

“Absolutely!”

“Great! Hang on,” Aurora pulled out her phone and dialed her grandson’s number. “Hey Dino? I’ve got a job for you.”

  
  
  


“Hey Iggy! How was your daaaaaaa-” Prompto let out a continuous sound, silently panicking over what word to use besides ‘date’. “-aaaay with Rory?”

Ignis raised an eyebrow at the boy’s antics. “It was fine.”

“Hello young Prince and company,” a familiar voice chimed just as Ignis sat in his chair. The group looked over to see Dino walking over to them with a grin.

“Dino?” Noctis cocked his head in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

“Gran asked me to deliver a little care package,” Dino placed a bag of goodies down for the group. “As well as bring this for someone named Crista.”

“That would be me,” Ignis said in an exasperated tone.

“Here you are, my friend,” Dino handed Ignis a tote bag with the Galdin Quay logo. “Ey, Cris, you inta jewelry?”

“Ignis,” he corrected.

“Gesundheit,” Dino smiled. “So, you like jewelry or what?”

“I can,” Ignis replied, wary of where the conversation was headed.

“Good tah hear. How about magic? Yah like usin’ magic?” 

“From time to time.”

“Even better!” Dino gave Ignis a hardy pat on the shoulder. “Thanks for answerin’ my questions, Cris. You’ll be hearing from me.” Dino turned to the other men and waved, “I’ll see youse guys later, then.”

“Bye Dino!” Prompto waved as the silver haired man made his way back to the Quay. “What did she get us?”

“Looks like food from the Mother of Pearl and dessert,” Noctis replied as he stuffed his head into the bag.

“Sweet!”

Ignis was silent as he rummaged through his own bag. Inside were two bottles of wine and a note.

_ Hey Crista, _

_ I feel bad for making you buy me wine _

_ And having you do so much for me _

_ So here’s some on me _

__

_ Bug <3 _

  
  


Ignis smiled at the note for a moment, but then his smile faded suddenly and he rose from his chair. “I’ve forgotten something at the hotel, I’ll return shortly.”

“Bring me back one of those keychains from the gift shop!” Prompto called out.

  
  


Ignis walked fast enough that he caught up to Dino, who was sauntering his way back to the Mother of Pearl. “Ey, Cris! Miss me already?”

“I haven’t the time to chat,” Ignis replied as he passed Dino, keeping his quick pace. 

“Well, geez, talk about not being much of a conversationalist,” Dino mumbled as he watched Ignis make his way to the hotel.

“Hello,” Coctura smiled warmly as Ignis approached her kitchen. “You’re out late. What brings you here?”

“I’m here to see a friend. She’s staying at the hotel,” Ignis replied, turning to the door that led to Aurora’s room.

“ _ Oh _ , I see,” Coctura giggled. Ignis didn’t bother correcting her assumptions and walked to Aurora’s room.

“Aurora?” He knocked on the door but there was no answer. He took out the spare key from his pocket and unlocked the door, being sure not to make a sound. 

Upon entering the room, Ignis could hear the sound of faint snoring. The light had been shut off and he could see a familiar lump curled up in the bed. Quietly, he made his way to the bed to check on her, seeing only her hair in a top bun poking out and her face squished between the pillow and comforter. The sight had Ignis smiling. She had that face every morning when he woke to make breakfast for the group. Peaceful but almost determined to be asleep all the same.

Once he knew Aurora was asleep, he silently padded his way to her bag and took out the sleeping pills before taking his leave.

“Hello, Coctura,” Ignis greeted the chef just as she was packing up her tools.

“Oh, hello again!” She greeted happily. “How is your lady friend?”

“Sleeping,” Ignis leaned his weight on the bar. “Can you do me a favour?”

“What do you need?”

“I need you to dispose of these,” he handed her the bottles of sleeping pills. “I never want to see them again.”

“Oh, uh, sure. No problem,” Coctura threw the pills into her trash bin. “I’ll be taking this out soon so they won’t be hanging around here.”

“My thanks,” he tipped her generously before beginning his trek down the pier.

  
  
  
  


The Quay was lively with people, even as early as nine in the morning. Aurora walked through a small crowd of people, guitar on her back, and tried making her way to the temporary stage set up on the beach. She was stopped short by something grabbing her arm. 

On instinct, she unholstered one of her daggers and faced the person who grabbed her. Ignis lifted his hands up near his chest in mock surrender with an expression that could only be described as lazy surprise, seemingly impressed by how quick Aurora was to the draw. 

“My apologies for startling you,” he said. “I merely wanted to get your attention.”

“Oh, sorry, Ignis,” Aurora placed her dagger back into its holster. “How did you guys do without me last night?”

“Just fine. Prompto seems to have missed your company,” Ignis placed a hand on his hip. “Though, I found the tent much more spacious.”

“Oh, har har,” Aurora shoved him playfully. “Well, I had a wonderful time sleeping in my nice king sized bed at the Quay. I could starfish all night.”

Aurora mimicked being splayed out on the bed, revealing more of her outfit, one Ignis had never seen before. A strappy black dress adorned with tropical flora. The dress was short, stopping mid thigh, and she continued to wear her open baggy kimono cardigan overtop. “That’s a lovely dress,” he said.

“Oh, uh,” Aurora covered herself with her cardigan, suddenly embarrassed. “Thank you.”

“Hey Rore!” Gladio waved as him and the other boys caught up to Ignis. “What do you say to a quick sparring match before you play?”

“That’s a big fat no,” Aurora huffed as she let her guitar slide down her shoulders. She placed the instrument against the railing closest to her before stretching. “I’m all dolled up, no way I’m getting dirty before going up there.”

“Not with that attitude,” Gladio said as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

“Gladio!!” Aurora screeched, kicking and flailing. “Gladio, I swear to the Gods, if you don’t put me down I will END you!!”

“That’s the spirit,” he laughed as he continued down to the beach.

  
  
  


“How goes the set up?” Noctis asked as he walked onto the stage. He found Aurora tuning one of her instruments. She sat on Gladio’s back while he did pushups, a compromise to the sparring the shield wanted earlier. 

“It’s going fine, I’m just getting the last of my instruments ready,” Aurora replied, not bothering to look up at the young prince. 

“Did you used to do this often?” The raven haired boy asked, kicking a cable that was laid out in front of him. “Performing, I mean.”

“Yeah, there was a time where this was my primary focus in life but that was years ago,” Aurora shrugged, moving onto the next instrument. “It turned into more of a hobby after a while. Being a medic took up a lot of my time and energy.”

“Aren’t you technically doing both?” Gladio asked with a loud grunt, his pace never wavering. 

“Hm, I guess you could say that,” Aurora tapped her chin. “Using my lyre in battle has me doing both music and healing. Eh, the music half is still kinda pushed to the side.”

“Like a bard in those video games you like, right Noct?”

“Yeah.” The prince smiled.

“Right. Like a video game,” Aurora snorted. She got up from sitting on Gladio’s back. “Well, I’m done here. Now we just have to wait until it’s my turn to play.”

  
  


“Ooooou, I’m so excited,” Prompto bounced on the balls of his feet, practically shaking. “I’m gonna get so many good shots of her up there.”

“Just make sure you don’t distract her,” Gladio scolded. 

“Here she comes,” Noctis pointed to Aurora as she walked up onto the stage, guitar hanging from the strap. 

“Hello, my name is Aurora Denond,” Aurora began as she adjusted the mic. “I’ll start things off with something fun. Here goes.”

The song started off with Aurora already signing loudly into the mic, setting the tone for an upbeat jam. The crowd immediately got into it, dancing and cheering. Noctis and Prompto were no different, bobbing along to the music and gradually evolving into weird dance moves that make Ignis embarrassed to be around.

“What did I tell ya?” Dino smiled at the boys as he walked over to them. “Sweeter than honey.”

Noctis agreed, “Yeah, she’s great!”

“Woooo!! Yeah, Rory!” Prompto cheered as he jumped up and down.

As the boys watched, Ignis could see Aurora get more and more into the song. Singing louder, with more passion, and a smile he’d never seen her wear before. It made his heart swell and almost forget that the younger boys were dabbing furiously beside him, claiming it to be a dance move.

Prompto ran up to the front, snapping pictures along the way. He couldn’t miss getting a good shot. The crowd cheered as her song ended, taking a short break before starting up the next one. Another upbeat tune began, her fingers dancing over the strings of her guitar. She made it look so easy.

“Yes, Rory, work it!!” Prompto cried as he took as many shots as he could. 

“Thank you!” Aurora smiled, taking a sip of water. “This last one is something I’m sure you all know.” The healer picked up her lyre and began to play.

_ When the night has come _

_ And the land is dark _

_ And the moon is the only light we see _

“Need help picking your jaw up off the floor?” Gladio teased as he nudged Ignis with his elbow. The advisor seemed to have been in a daze as he watched Aurora perform the various songs she had lined up, but this one was something else. 

Ignis closed his mouth, which he didn’t know was hanging open in the first place, and cleared his throat, “Must you embarrass me?”

“Hey, it’s normal to gawk at a pretty girl you like,” Gladio draped an arm over Ignis’s shoulders.

“You seem to be reading my reactions wrong,” Ignis huffed as he pushed up his glasses. “I’m merely in awe of her talent.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Gladio smiled that big smile of his.

Once Aurora finished the song, she said her last thank yous before walking off the stage and toward the boys.

“That was beautiful, Gran!” Dino outstretched his arms. Aurora smiled as she accepted his invitation with a big hug. 

“Thank you, honey,” she smiled. “It felt good to perform again.”

“That was so good!” Prompto snapped a few pics of the duo hugging. “Are there any other festivals we can get you to sing at?”

“I don’t think Lucis is up for a lot of celebrating right now,” Gladio reminded him. 

“Oh, I guess you’re right, huh?”

“Ah, before I forget,” Dino pulled a bracelet out from his pocket. “Happy early birthday, Gran.” 

Aurora’s eyes widened as she gazed at the beautiful sapphires adorned on the silver bracelet. “Oh, thank you, Dino!” She gave him another hug.

“Don’t mention it.”

“Birthday? We gotta celebrate!” Prompto exclaimed. 

“It’s not for another few days.”

“Still! We should celebrate on your birthday,” The blonde smiled. “Party time!”

“I agree. We can take a day to relax,” Noctis added.

“Maybe…” Aurora tried to seem uninterested but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Iggy keeps getting unwanted nicknames lol


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just hate when you're travelling with 4 cute boys and you get, like, really horny?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was super long so I split it into two chapters, sorry if it's kinda short!
> 
> Warning!   
> Chapter contains mentions of suicide

The group enjoyed the rest of the festival, watching the other performers, browsing the stalls, and eating snacks. 

Aurora had snuck off back to the Mother of Pearl at the boating dock to have a bit of privacy. She had been feeling surprisingly bloated all day, the dress she wore was feeling much tighter than it was when she had tried it on back at her cottage a couple days prior. She held the letter she got from her mailbox as she sat cross legged, staring out at the island Angelgard.

With a deep breath, she opened the letter, carefully smoothing out the folds. She ran her fingers over the handwritten letter, recognizing the handwriting. “Regis…”

She read the letter.

_ Hello dear friend, _

_ Seems like it’s been ages since I sent a letter to you. I hope this letter finds you well. Gods know what you’ve been up to. _

_ Things have been hectic on my end to say the least. Noctis is now 20 years old. I just wish I could be there for him more as a father and not as the King. You were right, I needed to make more time for him. Looks like we’re both not the best at parenting. I suppose it was for the best that you refused to mother him. The two of us combined would have probably killed him. _

_ I think about you often these days, visiting the statue you chewed my ear off about. How you would always have something snarky to say and compliment me on my rapid aging. How I could use a pick-me-up like that… _

_ Forgive me, I didn’t wish for that to sound so pitiful. Tell me, how are things in Alstor? Are you courting anyone these days? Do tell, I’d love to hear about anything you’ve been up to the past few years. _

_ I’ve sent a couple pictures of Noctis from these past years with this letter. He’s grown into a fine young man, wouldn’t you say? _

_ I pray the two of you can meet one day. It brings me great peace to know that you will stand by his side when he needs it most. _

_ I hope to hear from you soon, Aurora. Be well, and may you know the peace of aging soon. _

_ All my love, _

_ Reggie _

Aurora wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at the photos that came with the letter. The first was of Regis and Noctis. Regis was looking very old, much too old for a 50 year old man, but she couldn’t help but think that if she had seen him she would have complimented him on his aging anyway, saying how much of a gift it was to know the peace of being able to die of old age. Like an asshole. 

The second picture was a semi recent group photo of the boys. They looked a little younger in the photo, maybe by a year or two. She flipped the photo to look at the back. There was some writing that read: ‘Celebrating the graduation of Noctis and Prompto’

She was so distracted by the pictures that she hadn’t realised someone came up behind her. “Aurora?” A voice spoke softly.

“Huh?” She looked up to find Ignis looming over her, hands behind his back. She stuffed the letter into her pocket and wiped the tears from her face. “Oh, hey Crista. What’s up?” 

“Were you crying? Is something wrong?” There was concern in his voice.

“Oh, no, no, I was just...just strolling down memory lane,” She laughed to make light of the situation. She rose to her feet and faced him, “Did you need something?”

“Yes, the boys and I wanted to give you something,” he said as he slowly revealed what he was hiding behind his back. He handed her a bouquet of flowers consisting heavily of pink white lilies and pink snapdragons. Her eyes went wide at the sight of it. 

“By the Gods, this is beautiful,” she gave the petals on one of the snapdragons a featherlight touch. “How did you know I love snapdragons?”

“Gladio mentioned how he saw them in your garden,” Ignis explained. “You played beautifully today, it’s only natural that we give you a gift as a small token of appreciation.”

“I’m very flattered,” Aurora smiled, hiding her blush in her newly acquired bouquet. She motioned to the spot she had been sitting in, “Care to join me?”

“Certainly,” the advisor smiled as they each took a seat on the dock, Aurora gingerly placed the bouquet beside her. “We could use some wine.”

“Should we go see if Coctura has any?” Aurora’s question was met with the popping of a cork. She turned to Ignis to find him with a bottle of wine. She could see the tote bag she asked Dino to deliver to him, “Wha…? Is that one of the bottles I gave you last night?”

“Yes, but I seem to have forgotten to bring any glasses,” Ignis furrowed his brow. 

Aurora laughed as she took the bottle from him. “Guess we’re gonna have to drink it from the bottle.”

Ignis gasped, “Like  _ heathens _ ?”

“ _ Indeed _ ,” she mocked in his accent before taking a swig from the bottle. 

“I may have to find a new drinking partner,” he sighed as he took the bottle from Aurora, carefully bringing it to his lips. “This feels wrong.”

Aurora laughed, “Oh no, I’m being demoted!”

“Yes, now go drink a juice box with the other children we travel with and think about what you’ve done,” Ignis scolded, taking another swig of wine.

“Hey, you’re still drinking it!” The healer accused. “I will not stand for this hypocrisy!” She took the bottle as Ignis laughed. “So, is this a thing now? Drinking wine together, just the two of us?”

“Hm,” Ignis placed a finger on his chin in thought. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

“What’s happening?” Prompto asked as he shook Gladio. “Are they doing it? Are they kissing?”

“I can’t tell with you shaking me like that!” Gladio shoved Prompto and steadied the binoculars, trying to get a better view of the couple on the dock. “They’re not doing anyth-oh, wait, I think something’s happening!”

Aurora was feeling bold and decided to rest her head on Ignis’s shoulder. She could feel the side of her face tingle slightly at the contact. A wash of emotions came over her and more tears welled up in her eyes. She felt happy. Genuinely at ease, contented, and happy. It was a little too much. “Thank you,” she whispered, the tears silently flowing into the fabric of Ignis’s shirt.

“For what?” The advisor asked quietly. He was experiencing bold feelings of his own, bringing Aurora closer by draping his arm around her shoulders. His action made Aurora scooch closer so their thighs were touching. He swallowed thickly, trying to keep his heart rate down.

“Everything.”

  
  
  


“I’m so tired of looking for Royal Arms,” Aurora whined from the back seat of the car, feeling much more lethargic than usual. She hadn’t been getting the best sleep, either. “You already have six of them, eight if you count these," Aurora squished Noctis's biceps with a giggle. "How about you call it quits there?”

“We’re not stopping just because you’re sick of it,” Ignis scolded as he pulled into the parking lot of Lestallum. They needed to stop for supplies. “It’s up to Noct.”

“Noct, kick his seat for me,” Aurora elbowed the raven haired boy. He complied and gave the back of the driver’s seat a hearty kick. Ignis was not amused.

“I hate it, too, but I gotta do it,” Noctis groaned as he got out of the car. 

"Hey, that reminds me of a joke: Where does the king keep his armies?" Aurora asked as they all piled out of the car, excited to tell the punchline.

"In the Citadel," Ignis replied simply.

"What? No, it's... it's in his sleevies--you know what? Nevermind, you ruined it," Aurora crossed her arms and lightly pushed Ignis's rear with her sandal. 

“Well, if it isn’t my favourite photography crew!” A voice bellowed from not far. A stout man walked up to the group. He was sweating like crazy in the Lestallum heat. His eyes fell on Aurora and a sly smirk crept its way to the corner of his mouth, “Oh? And who’s this? One of you managed to score the forbidden fruit, huh?”

“Very funny, Vyv,” Aurora mumbled.

“Gonna let me interview you today?” Vyv smirked.

“I’m not a passion piece, Vyv.”

“I’ll get you to crack one day,” Vyv laughed. “I’ll call it ‘The Immortal Woman’. Science can’t explain! Dermatologists hate her!”

“Aurora, how are you acquainted with Vyv?” Ignis asked.

“He’s been chasing me around Eos for an interview ever since he heard rumours of me circulating,” Aurora groaned. “Reporters are relentless.”

“You should know, being related to Dino and all,” Vyv smiled. “But that’s not why I’m chatting you up. I’m here to ask the boys for another job.”

“Another job?” Aurora turned to the boys.

“He likes my photography,” Prompto beamed.

“Where to this time?” Noctis asked.

“This one will take you all the way to the Rock of Ravatogh,” Vyv replied.

“You’re making us climb a volcano? One  _ you _ couldn’t even climb in your prime?” Aurora was baffled. “Seriously Vyv?”

“There’s good money in it for you guys. You can take it or leave it,” Vyv shrugged.

“We’ll take it,” Noctis agreed.

“Pleasure doing business with you, prince Noctis,” Vyv smiled at the boy with a wink. “Oh, and Aurora, be sure to keep me updated on who you’re courting. Dino tells me you’re single but he’s skeptical. What with these fine men around. My money's on Freckles the photographer.”

“Can you two stop cahooting and discussing my love life?” Aurora scoffed. “ _ Men _ . You’re all disgusting.”

“All joking aside, best of luck to you,” Vyv waved to the group as they walked off. 

“Is there anyone you don’t know?” Gladio nudged Aurora as they walked back to the Regalia.

“I don’t know that guy,” Aurora pointed to a random passerby. “Or that lady, I don’t know her.”

“Very funny,” Gladio ruffled her hair.

During the ride in the Regalia, Aurora began feeling uncomfortable. A strange heat seemed to pool between her legs. She rubbed her thighs together in an uncomfortable manner but that only seemed to make things worse.

“By the Six, am I  _ wet _ ?” Aurora mumbled to herself, scratching at her arm.  _ Why? _

“What was that, Bug?” Ignis turned to her. Her face immediately flashed bright red. She placed a hand over her mouth and turned away, pretending to look at the scenery passing by.

“Nothing,” she said, muffled by her hand.

  
  
  


The group had nearly made it to the volcano but decided to stop for the night. When the boys had all piled out of the car, Aurora had the opportunity to stick her hand down her pants and that’s exactly what she did. She felt around her lady bits and it felt very hot and wet. “Why is this happening?” She groaned as she removed her hand, a clear sticky substance coating a couple of her fingers.

She wiped the substance on the inside of her shirt before exiting the car and making her way to the haven. “What took you so long?” Gladio asked as he finished pitching the tent.

“Just stretching out,” Aurora shrugged. Gladio groaned as he stood up and his muscles flexed. Aurora immediately felt hot watching him. “Haaah.”

“Something wrong?” Gladio asked as he walked over to her.

“Uh.”

_ I want you to bend me over and destroy me. _

“No, I’m just feeling a little tired. I think I’ll go lie down for a bit,” Aurora escaped into the tent, laying down on her sleeping bag that was so graciously layed out for her. “Uhg. What is wrong with me? Why do I feel so hot? Begone foul thoughts.” The thoughts did not, in fact, go away. They remained long enough for Aurora’s hand to slowly slip into her pants in an attempt to release the heat coiling inside her, massaging the little bundle of nerves with a needy whine.

“Aurora.” A voice called as the tent was opened.

“Yeek!!” Aurora quickly sat up, removing her hand from her pants and hiding it behind her back as Ignis entered the tent. “Hey, what’s up?”

“I thought I’d inform you that I'll be preparing dinner soon. Will someone be required to wake you from your nap?” Ignis said as he sat down. He was wearing a t-shirt instead of his normal garb so Aurora was able to see the toned muscles on his arms. 

“Haaah,” was all she said, unable to look away from his arms. 

“Aurora, are you feeling alright?” Ignis placed his hand on Aurora’s forehead. The way he said her name coupled with the strange tingling feeling his hand gave her made the coil in her stomach tighten. “You have an elevated temperature.”

“No no, I’m okay. It’s just hot in here,” Aurora smiled.

_ It’ll get even hotter when I ride you--good god, stop it!! _

“Very well. The others are out scouting the area so holler if you need anything.” With that, Ignis left the tent. Aurora sighed heavily, flopping back down into her sleeping bag. Maybe some sleep would do her some good. Her only problem was that she wasn’t actually tired. Exhausted, yes, but not tired.

She looked through her bag to take out the sleeping pills she had packed but couldn’t find them. She was sure she packed them, where could they be? 

“Ignis,” Aurora caught the advisor's attention as she exited the tent. “Have you seen my sleeping pills?”

Ignis coughed nervously, seemingly caught off guard.  _ Peculiar _ . Aurora raised an eyebrow as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “No, Aurora, I can’t say I have.”

“For once, I can tell you’re lying,” Aurora leaned in to study his face. “Where are they?”

Ignis sighed before speaking, “I confiscated them.”

“Why?!”

“I...uh.”

“ _ Uh _ ?” Aurora mocked. “You don’t ‘uh’. You’re Ignis! You’re the most annoyingly articulate man I’ve ever met and you say ‘uh’?!”

“Yes, well…” Ignis began making a lot of gestures but no sound, like he had no idea what to say. Like he was  _ guilty _ .

“Where did you put them, Crista?”

“In...a trash receptacle,” Ignis replied.

“You threw them away?! Why would you do that?” Aurora yelled. 

“I have my reasons.”

“Spit it out Crista, the boys aren’t here,” Aurora narrowed her eyes at the advisor. “Does this have to do with the night we met? The night of the storm?”

“Yes,” Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose.

“So, you don’t trust me to not turn up dead every morning?” She accused.

“That is not what I said. I simply worry about you, Bug,” Ignis got up from his chair and faced her. The way he said her nickname was different than usual. It sounded affectionate instead of teasing. Aurora wasn’t prepared for that. She shifted uncomfortably, the wet feeling between her legs getting worse. “You have had moments that worry me. I just want you to be safe...and alive.”

“This is a lousy way to show it.” She growled. Then suddenly, his change in attitude made sense. “Ignis, were you...are you only being friendly with me because you think i’m going to kill myself if you don’t?”

Ignis opened his mouth to protest but nothing came out. His hesitation made tears well in Aurora’s eyes. His chest tightened, “Bug--”

“This whole friendship has been based on you walking on eggshells around me? Thinking I’m just going to off myself at the slightest turn of events?” She shoved him. “How could you?!”

“Listen to me--”

“No! I’m not going to listen to you if you just think I’m some depressed mess who needs to be coddled to survive. That’s not who I am. I’m a tough bitch, I can handle what life throws at me. I’ve done it long enough.” Aurora turned to leave the scene but Ignis caught her arm. “Let go!”

“Listen to me!” He ordered. The sheer volume of his voice made Aurora freeze. “While that may have been the case at the beginning, I can assure you that it is not the case now. I’ve grown to greatly enjoy your company. Ridding you of those pills was for  _ my _ piece of mind. I couldn’t stand looking at them any longer, knowing they were with us and could have very well taken you away from me before we ever had the privilege of knowing you.”

“‘Me’?” The healer questioned, heart fluttering despite herself. 

Ignis let go of Aurora’s wrist in favour of pushing up his glasses. He cleared his throat, “ _ Us _ ,” he corrected, not taking his hand away from his face.

She sighed. “Then...don’t treat me like a sad fragile husk. I don’t need your pity, I don’t need your protection, and I don’t need you rifling through my stuff. I need you to be my friend. Can you do that?”

“I…” Ignis took a moment to think. “Yes, I can do that.”

“Good,” Aurora smiled, wiping away a rogue tear. “Can you make me some sleepy tea, please?”

Ignis smiled back, “With pleasure.”

“Good, now I’m going to finish what I started, don’t bother me. Bye,” Aurora waved as she went back into the tent.

“Beg pardon?” Ignis asked, thoroughly confused by her statement, but Aurora was already in the tent and out of sight. “Finish what she started…?”

  
  


“Whoa, Rory, you don’t look so good,” Prompto pointed out as he exited the tent the next morning. Aurora was sitting on the cooler, hunched over, while nursing a can of Ebony she begged Ignis for earlier. Heavy bags could be seen under her eyes and her hair was much more of a mess than usual. 

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping,” she mumbled, her lips not leaving the aluminum can. “And believe me, I feel just as bad as I look.”

“Too bad you don’t know where your sleeping pills went. Sounds like you could really use them now,” Prompto sat in the chair next to Aurora and gently rubbed her back in an attempt to soothe whatever terrible feeling she was currently going through. 

“Yeah,” she took another sip of Ebony, side eyeing Ignis. “Too bad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where does the king keep his armies? In his sleevies!!!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While climbing the volcano, Aurora starts acting weirder than normal.

“I already hate this,” Aurora said as the group took their first few steps up the volcano. They had said goodbye to their chocobo a few minutes ago and she was already missing her fluffy Beans.

“Get used to it, it’s a long way up,” Gladio pat Aurora harshly on the back. “Besides, you’ll have your work cut out for you with the amount of burns we’re all gonna get.”

“Can’t wait,” she rolled her eyes, taking out her lyre to play a mindless tune to keep morale up.

It didn’t take long for at least one of the guys to start the complaining. “Whose idea was this?” Noctis groaned. 

“A little out of our comfort zone,” Ignis commented.

“Why do I ever leave my car seat,” Prompto sighed.

“Quit bitchin’, we gotta get that egg even if it kills us,” Gladio said to the raven haired boy.

“I’m sorry, what?” Aurora turned to Gladio. “Since when are we egg hunting?”

“Since sleeping beauty here agreed to help me make the best cup noodles around,” Gladio nudged Noctis.

“No one told me it would involve climbing a mountain.”

“I suppose this way, we can kill two birds with one stone,” Ignis stated, slightly out of breath from the continuous uphill trek. “Get the picture, get the egg, and be done with it.”

“Did we hit the top?” Prompto asked, breathless. “Feelin’ past my peak.”

“I’m afraid you still got a ways to go.” Gladio patted Prompto’s shoulder in a somewhat comforting manner.

“I’m already excited to never come here again,” Prompto sighed.

  
  


They made it to a large slope. Everyone was having trouble with the slippery uphill trek. Aurora had to put her lyre away and focus on not slipping instead of playing. Prompto was huffing and puffing beside her, grabbing onto her shirt as she began falling behind everyone else's pace. 

“Killer climb, dude.” Prompto nearly slipped but Aurora caught the arm that was holding onto her shirt to keep him steady. He thanked her and finally let go of her shirt, moving along with the others.

“It’s killing me,” Noctis wheezed.

Ignis let out a groan, “Feeling a steep pain.”

“One false step and you won’t feel anything ever again,” Gladio warned as he took careful steps.

Climbing the slope wasn’t so bad until Aurora slipped on a loose rock. She fell forward and began to slide down to the cliff. “Shit!” She tried grabbing at something and felt a strong hand grip her arm. She looked up to find Ignis. “Thanks.”

“Mind your step, Bug.” He pulled her back up. They stayed like that for a moment, holding onto each other tightly and catching their breath. Their hearts were pounding loudly in their chests as Aurora mumbled about how she could have died while Ignis rubbed her back in a soothing manner.

“Okay,” Aurora fanned herself. The heat seemed to be getting worse the higher they climbed. “Let’s keep going.”

“I think my legs are gonna giiiive,” Prompto said, nearly in tears. “Don’t even wanna think about how sore my legs are gonna be tomorrow.”

“Why don’t you ask Rore to help you out with that?”

“Because if he asks me while I’m dealing with my own pain then he’s gonna have more than a couple sore legs,” Aurora growled. 

“Woof, Rory is bitey today.” Noctis snorted a laugh.

"As opposed to every other day?" Gladio teased.

"Watch it mullet man or you're gonna end up like Prompto by the river," the healer warned. "I can hurt just as well as I can heal."

Prompto shuddered at her tone. "Don't mess with Rory."

The group made it to what looked like half hardened lava. 

“We best make haste through the hot spots.”

“Any more of this and I’ll melt!” Prompto stepped on the hot lava like a newborn deer.

Gladio was about to follow but noticed Aurora wasn't joining them. "You comin' or what?"

"I can't go with you guys," she replied, testing the heat of the rocks with her foot and immediately recoiled. "I'm wearing sandals, my feet are gonna burn up."

"Shit," Gladio walked back to Aurora. "How about you hop on my shoulders?"

"Like a toddler?" Aurora cocked her head and furrowed her brow but there was still an amused smile on her face.

"Yeah," Gladio laughed as he crouched down. "Hop on, kiddo."

Aurora giggled as she slipped her legs over Gladio's shoulders. He slowly rose to stand and started up the hot rocks to catch up with the others, hands on the healer's thighs to anchor her. 

"What a view," she mused as they caught up to the others.

Aurora’s mind started to wander, now fully aware that Gladio was between her legs. Heat pooled in her lady bits and she grabbed Gladio’s hair to keep herself grounded. Gladio groaned and that sent another wave through her intimate parts, “Ease up on the hair, sweetheart, I got you.”

“Ah, sorry!” Aurora let go of his hair and ran her hands through it to smooth out the mess she had made. 

_ Gods, if only you could face the other way... _

She shook the impure thoughts from her mind as Prompto turned to greet them. "Something's different about you, Rory," he pointed out in a teasing fashion. "Can't quite put my finger on it, though."

"Perhaps she did something different with her hair?" Ignis smirked.

“I dunno what to tell you guys,” Aurora shrugged, using Gladio’s head as a drum. “But I gotta say, the weather up here is great!”

By the time they got to the top, everyone was sweaty and unhappy. “Please, just take the picture,” Noctis wheezed.

“Yeah, got it,” Prompto got as close as he could to the flowing lava.

“Now  _ that’s _ scenery,” Gladio smiled.

“This heat is going to kill me,” Aurora whined, wiping the sweat from her brow.

“And I’m sweatin’ buckets,” Gladio commented as he crouched down for Aurora to get off of his shoulders.

“Out of the frying pan…”

“And into the volcano,” Prompto finished Ignis’s sentence. 

The group reached a dead end and were met with a large cliff face. 

“Time to face the cliff head on.” Ignis said, hand on his hips.

“By ‘face’ you don’t mean ‘climb’...?” Prompto sounded nervous.

“You got a better way to get up the rock?” Gladio turned to where he had last seen Aurora. “Ladies fir--huh? Rore?” He looked around and couldn’t find her. “Hey, Rore!”

“Up here,” she called. The boys looked up to see her already up the cliff. “Come on, slowpokes, I can see a haven up here.”

  
  


As Ignis was preparing dinner, he felt something touch him. He turned his head to find Aurora leaning her head against his back. “Yes, Bug?”

“I can’t take this anymore, Crista. I haven’t had a good sleep in days. I’m so tired,” Aurora started sobbing, a pathetic blubbering mess.

“There’s no need to cry,” Ignis sighed as he brought Aurora closer, patting her back. She wiggling out of his embrace with a grunt.

“Don’t hug me, my chest is super sensitive right now,” she tried crossing her arms but it just made her chest hurt no matter what angle she tried, ultimately giving up with a pathetic sob. 

“Is that why you haven’t been sleeping well?”

Aurora pressed her lips together as she blushed, “I’m most comfortable when I sleep on my stomach. I haven’t been able to do that the past few nights. Even the other positions I’m comfortable in suck because something is always touching my boobs and I have no room and thAT TENT IS SO FUCKING SMALL WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST BUY A BIGGER ONE GLADIO?!” Gladio raised his hands up defensively as Aurora whipped around to face him during her screaming. The group was silent, save for a small ‘whoa’ from Prompto.

“Curious.” Ignis hummed.

“I...I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell like that,” Aurora ran her hands up her face and into her hair. “I don’t know why I’m so irritable. Maybe it’s the heat.”

“You should probably lie down,” Ignis urged her to the tent. “I’ll make you some tea.”

“Can you make that lavender chamomile one from yesterday?”

“Yes, now do try and get some rest. You can have the tent to yourself until the rest of us turn in.”

“Okay…”

“What do you think is up with her?” Noctis asked as the boys ate their meal by the fire.

“I couldn’t say,” Ignis shrugged. “She wasn’t this interesting a week ago.”

“Maybe now that she likes us she’s showing her true colours?” Prompto suggested. “Like how she cries a lot more now instead of bottling it all up. We should do that! A good cry can do wonders.”

“I don’t cry, I just sweat,” Gladio laughed.

“Then just sweat from your eyes,” Noctis smirked.

“Very funny.”

“Well, I’m glad she’s comfortable with us now,” Prompto smiled. “And that her and Iggy aren’t fighting anymore!”

“Yeah, that was a nightmare,” Noctis sighed. 

“Remember when she stabbed you in the face?” Prompto turned to Ignis, who sighed at the mention of that event.

“Yes, how could I forget?” He ran his fingers over the nearly healed wound on his cheek. “We were both unpleasant to be around at that time.”

“But now we’re all friends!”

“Shut up!!” yelled a muffled voice from the tent. The boys laughed as Prompto covered his mouth.

  
  


The next morning the group continued onward to find the egg Gladio needed for his perfect cup noodles. 

“Watch your step, kids,” Gladio warned as they traversed a narrow path.

“No room for slip ups, Noct.”

“I am  _ not _ the clumsy one,” Noctis shot back at Prompto.

“Nowhere left to climb,” Prompto pointed out. “Should we check the area below?”

“I’m down if you are,” Gladio agreed. He looked over at Aurora, who was barely able to keep her eyes open. “Hey, you okay?”

If someone could snore while they were awake, that’s exactly what Aurora was doing. Eyes half open, standing, and snoring. 

“Rory?” Noctis shook her and she snorted loudly, coming out of whatever bout of sleep she was in.

“Nhg, Dino, get off the counter,” she mumbled, not realising where she was. The boys giggled. “Wha? Where? Oh no, did I fall asleep?”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to press on?” Ignis asked, concerned.

“Yeah yeah, no need to worry, Crista,” she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Get egg. Leave volcano. Punch Vyv. Easy peasy.”

“No punching,” Gladio scolded.

It didn’t take long to find a large nest after leaving the haven. Despite still being incredibly sleep deprived, Aurora managed to slide down the slope to the nest with relative ease.

“Yeesh, that’s one big egg,” She knelt down next to the egg and pressed her body against it. “I can hear the eggy ocean.”

“What does it sound like?” Ignis chuckled.

“Delicious,” She smiled. Her smile quickly faded as she closed her eyes, “And...warm. Warm and comfy…”

She began to snore and Gladio laughed. “Days of not being able to sleep properly but laying on top of a giant egg puts her to sleep.”

“Should...should we leave her to sleep?” Noctis questioned as he approached her.

“As much as she needs this, we shouldn’t stay too long,” Ignis explained. “We don’t want to be here when the Zu comes back.”

“Ooou, yeah, mama’s gonna be mad that we stole one of her babies,” Prompto said, getting antsy. “Better get the egg and get outta here!”

“Alright, who wants to wake her up?” Gladio looked around the group.

“Not it,” Noctis said.

“Nose game!” Prompto placed his finger on his nose. Noctis and Gladio did the same, leaving Ignis. “You lose!”

“What? I cannot lose a game I was not playing,” He huffed. 

“Too bad, now go poke the bear,” Gladio said, pushing Ignis toward the sleeping Aurora.

Ignis sighed heavily before shaking Aurora. “Rory, it’s time to wake up,” he spoke softly.

“Mmm, Varin stop it,” Aurora lazily swatted him away. After various attempts to shake her awake, Ignis gave up. He picked her up and began carrying her in his arms. “Baby, no, I don’t wanna wake up.”

“Aurora, I’m not Varin.”

It took Aurora a moment but once those words sunk in, her eyes shot open and she screeched. This caught Ignis off guard and, because of her wiggling, accidentally dropped her. Once she was one the ground, Aurora huddled into a ball and used her kimono cardigan to cover herself in embarrassment.

“Heehee, she called you baby,” Prompto giggled. Noctis elbowed him.

“Uh, we’re gonna go explore that path over there,” he said, dragging Prompto with him.

“Imma go get the egg,” Gladio said as he walked back to the large nest.

Ignis crouched down next to Aurora. “Are you going to come out any time soon, Bug?”

“No.” Her voice was quiet.

“Am I going to have to carry you again?” He teased.

“You’ll have to carry me forever. I’m never coming out of The Ball of Embarrassment,” she mumbled.

“Very well,” Ignis chuckled as he picked her up again. “I’ll have to start charging you.”

“Do you take music as payment?”

“Exclusively.” 

“Guys!” Prompto yelled from the path he and Nocis had taken. “We found a tomb!”

“Here?” Aurora popped her head out from her cardigan. She slipped out of Ignis’s arms and trotted to the path. She came up to the end of the path where Noctis was standing. He just finished opening a set of large doors and walked inside the tomb. The group followed him and watched as he absorbed the Royal Arm into his person. The ghostly apparitions of the weapons he acquired circling around him. “Wow.”

“Good thing we came here,” Gladio smiled as he adjusted the large egg in his arms. “Now let’s get this egg down the volcano and cook it already. This shit’s heavy.”

Aurora smiled as she patted the large egg, “I dub thee...Eggnis.”

“Hah! I love it!” Prompto giggled.

The group began making their way across the large open area toward the exit. Aurora was keeping her distance from Ignis, still embarrassed by what she said earlier. Ignis noticed this and made his way over to her. “Aurora,” he spoke softly. “There’s no need to be--” The sound of large wings stopped him.

“AHG! It’s here!” Prompto screeched, grabbing onto Noctis. “Giant...BIRD!”

The group looked up to see the Zu flying above them. “H-hey, let go!” Noctis tried to wiggle Prompto off of him so they could get away but Prompto was frozen with fear.

“I caaannn’t!” He cried.

“Look out!” Ignis ran to push Noctis and Prompto out of the way of the large bird’s talons. 

The group caught their bearings and prepared to fight the colossal bird. Aurora had quickly disappeared from the scene, only to return at a higher vantage point with her bow. 

“I never liked birds that can fly,” she mumbled as she let an arrow fly, hitting the bird in the head. The beast cried out and jumped back into the air. “You guys alright down there?”

“Yes, we’re alright!” Ignis yelled. “Are you able to attack the bird from where you are?”

Aurora readied her bow and shot at the flying monster, only for it to miss. “It’s too high up for my bow! I’ll have to try some magic.”

“I don’t think it would be able to hear you from so high up!” Noctis hollered. Aurora jumped back down to where the boys were.

“That’s not what I had in mind,” she said as she shrugged off her cardigan. “I have some powerful fire magic you boys haven’t seen yet.”

“Wait, you can use magic other than healing stuff?” Prompto asked after failing to shoot down the bird. 

“Yeah but you guys will have to stand back,” she walked closer to the large bird that screeched at her from its position in the sky. “It’s time to show you why they call me Solar Wind.” She began running at the large creature, strumming her lyre to kickstart a hefty gust of wind, and then summoning fire to be carried by the wind. 

The beast screeched again as it was hit by the heatwave, significantly wounded and catching fire. She unholstered her daggers as the Zu fell from the sky and tried to crush her with its talons. She managed to slice its foot, further impairing it. 

“Aurora!” Gladio struck the beast, effectively dividing its attention between Aurora and the boys.

“Thanks,” she huffed, her energy draining rapidly.

“Are you alright?” Ignis placed a hand on her shoulder as she staggered.

“Y-yeah, I’m good,” she said with a weak smile. “Magic like that takes a lot out of me.”

“Chat later, you two!” Gladio yelled as he struck the bird again. 

Noctis was being tossed around by the large bird. Aurora strummed at her lyre to give him a few boosts and a healing buff to help him out. “You alright?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Noctis got up and bumped fists with the healer.

“Don’t mention it.”

With another strum of her lyre, Aurora tried to summon more fire but the large bird swept the ground with its tail and caught her off guard. She was thrown into the air and the Zu was about to catch her in its mouth and have her for dinner, but Noctis warped into the air and smashed the beast’s beak before it had the chance. 

Aurora tried landing gracefully but landed on her leg at a weird angle and felt a few bones crack. “AHG!” She screamed but it was muffled once her face hit the ground hard.

“Aurora!” Ignis called out when he saw Aurora on the ground. He turned to the shield, “Gladio!”

“I gotcha.” Gladio swung his blade down on the bird, killing it. 

“Woo!! We’re alive! Let’s celebrate by eating something dead!” Prompto cheered. “Rory was so boss, did you guys see her?”

“She’s not looking so hot right now, guys,” Noctis said as he knelt down next to her. “Hey, Rory, can you hear me?”

“Nngh,” She managed to utter.

“Can you get up?”

She lifted her head from the ground, a large gash from her eyebrow to her hairline bled profusely. The boys gasped. “H-how bad is it?” She asked.

“Oh em gee, are you dying?!” Prompto gasped.

“Your eyebrow split open,” Gladio said as he offered Aurora his hand. She took it but as soon as she was lifted to her feet she immediately fell back down with a loud cry.

“Ahg! Fuck!” She inhaled sharply. “My leg is broken.”

“Hmm, guess we’re gonna have to put you down,” Gladio teased as he picked her up. “Can’t have a lame healer.”

“Nooo, I was just starting to like you guys,” she joked. “Oh, where’s my lyre?”

“Right here,” Ignis gave her the lyre. Aurora examined it and realised the strings had all broken.

“Aw man, the strings…”

“Does this mean you won’t be able to heal yourself?” Noctis asked. “Are you going to have to wait for your leg to heal naturally?”

“No. I have extra strings with the rest of our gear but it’ll have to wait until we’re camping. Guess that means i’ll be out of commission until I can get it fixed,” Aurora sighed heavily. 

“Alright, well, Iggy,” Gladio turned to Ignis and placed Aurora in his arms. “You take Rore while I go get the egg.”

“What am I? A sack of potatoes to be passed around?” Aurora huffed. “This is humiliating.” 

“I could always drop you and you could try your hand at rolling down to camp?” Ignis challenged. Aurora rolled the one eye that was still open; the other was closed because of the amount of blood dripping down her face. “We’ll get you cleaned up once we’re back at camp. For now, it’s good to know you still have enough energy to talk back.”

Aurora chuckled but her smile was replaced with a wince, a sharp pain in her lower abdomen cutting through her. 

_ What the hell was that? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Aurora, getting beat up all the time and embarrassing herself. Some healer, huh?


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aurora gets her first official sign of aging. Her period.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!   
> This chapter talks about the menstrual cycle, showcases period blood and feminine hygiene products.

“Ow, fuck!” Aurora yelped. She sat on the cooler as Ignis crouched in front of her, cleaning the wound on her face. “Could you be a little more gentle?”

“My apologies for not being able to give you the luxury of a musical healing process,” Ignis sighed as he brought out a needle and thread. “But, as Gladio would put it, you’re going to have to deal with it.”

Aurora squeezed her eyes shut with a whimper, “Can someone hold my hand?”

“I got you, Rory,” Prompto smiled as he held her hand while Ignis began stitching her wound. “YIKES! Don’t squeeze so hard!”

“It’s keeping me from screaming,” Aurora said through gritted teeth. “Hurry up, Crista!!”

“You’ll endure it if you want the job done right,” he scolded. “You’re a big girl.”

“I’m a big girl,” she repeated, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Once Ignis was finally finished, she sighed loudly. “Yeesh, glad that’s over. What ever happened to kissing a booboo better? That’s the real magic, lemme tell you! It sounds a lot more pleasant than what I just went through.”

Without warning, Ignis placed a soft kiss on Aurora’s temple just below the freshly stitched wound. A myriad of strange feelings washed over her all at once. He smirked at both Aurora and Prompto’s dumbfounded looks. “Unfortunately, that’s as magical as I can make the healing process for you until you can heal it yourself. I hope it helps.”

“Uhhh--” Aurora’s breath hitched, her voice caught in her throat. “Y-yeah, thanks. It’s already feeling better.”

“What did I just walk into?” Gladio chuckled as he walked into the haven with a pile of wood for the fire.

“Aurora claims a kiss can heal wounds,” Ignis explained as he got up and walked to the little camp kitchen. “I wanted to try my hand at it.”

“Uh-huh,” Gladio leaned against the table. He looked over at Aurora, who was chatting with Prompto while she restrung her lyre. “You two have come a long way from wanting to kill each other.”

“Yes, I would say we’re actually friends at this point,” Ignis said as he laid out the utensils he was going to need to prepare dinner.

“Friends?” Gladio huffed a laugh. “Looks a little different to me.”

“What are you implying, Gladio?” Ignis sighed, tired of Gladio’s shenanigans.

“Nothing, nothing,” Gladio smirked as he lifted himself from the table and gave Ignis a hardy pat on the shoulder. “Just try to keep your flirting on the down-low, would yah?”

“I’m not flirting.”

“Whatever you say, Romeo,” Gladio winked before turning to the rest of the group. “Alright, Time to crack this egg open!” He summoned his weapon and cracked the top of the egg with the hilt.

“Eggnis, no!” Aurora cried. “He was so young!”

Prompto giggled. “Hey, how’s your leg?”

“Still broken,” Aurora stated bluntly.

“But is it feeling any better?”

“No, but it will soon,” she said as she finished fixing her lyre. “You ready to hear something super gross?”

“Yeah!” Prompto wiggled in his chair as Aurora began to play a tune. There was a squishy cracking sound as the bones in her leg began to mend. “Ewww!!”

“Nhhg,” Aurora stopped playing and winced. “It hurts just as bad as it sounds.”

“What the hell was that?” Noctis asked as he finally looked up from his phone. 

“I’m fixing my broken leg,” Aurora explained as she got up and put pressure on her leg. “I don’t have enough magic to fully heal it but it’ll do for now. At least the bones are back in place and I can walk again.”

“You really are a miracle worker, aren’t you?” Noctis hummed.

“Aha…” Aurora looked at the ground. “I wouldn’t say that. Bones can be mended easily. I can’t do much else. Not to mention I can’t just heal people forever, I have a limit to how much magic I can use at a time. I’ve pretty much depleted my magic for a while...”

“Didn’t you help Ignis with his fever?” Prompto asked.

“Yeah but I just...I know how to take care of people, I’ve had years of experience during an era where medical attention wasn’t exactly the norm,” Aurora scratched her arm anxiously. “I’m not a miracle worker.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Gladio smiled at her. Aurora was about to smile back but that abdominal pain had come back, making her keel over and groan. “Whoa, you okay?”

“I don’t know, I’ve been having stomach pains since we left the volcano,” she groaned again.

“Did you accidentally eat some onions?” Prompto turned to Ignis, “Ignis, did you cook anything with onions recently?”

“No, I’ve made sure to keep them away from my cooking,” Ignis looked up from the dish he was cooking. “Is something wrong with Aurora?”

“I’m f-uuhhhggggg-I’m fine,” Aurora inhaled sharply through gritted teeth. “I’ll just play another tiny tune to make me feel better and--ah, shit, I can’t. I’m out of magic.”

Without a word, Prompto shuffled over to where Aurora’s bag was lying. He came back and handed her a bottle of painkillers.

“Oh, thank you, Prom,” she smiled before taking a couple pills in her hand, popping them into her mouth. Ignis handed her a cup of food as she sat down in her lawn chair. “Mmm, eggy noodles! Thank you, Ignis.”

“My pleasure,” he smiled as he took his own seat. “You’ve been quite the enigma as of late.”

“I swear I’m not always like this. I have no idea what’s going on,” Aurora suppressed a moan of pleasure after taking her first bite of food. Noodles with a bunch of eggs were better than she expected. “My body has been doing weird things. Maybe I have an ulcer from trying to keep up with your shenanigans. You guys are a bad influence.”

“Hey, I’m a great influence!” Prompto stated. 

“You once gave your gun to a kid, Prompto,” Noctis sighed.

“He wanted to see it up close!”

  
  
  


Aurora woke in the early morning, the dawn light had just started to creep over the horizon. She groaned lightly at being awake so early but was very comfortable for a change. She was pleasantly warm and felt the comfortable weight of someone’s arm around her waist.  _ Wait _ , she thought.  _ Whose arm is that? _

She tilted her head to look behind her and found Ignis sleeping soundly at a very close proximity. If there weren’t any sleeping bags between them, his body would be flush against hers. Aurora wanted to say something but stopped herself. She was comfortable since the natural heat Ignis radiated from his arm kept the pain in her stomach at bay and figured she’d enjoy the feeling a little longer until he woke up. 

This had been the best sleep she had in days, she wasn’t about to ruin it. The healer closed her eyes and let Ignis’ deep breathing lul her back to sleep.

Later that morning, Aurora groaned quietly as light started to seep through the tent, much more harsh than the last time she woke. Her small shuffling made Ignis stir, tightening his grip around Aurora’s waist with his arm that was lazily draped over her. 

While Aurora was enjoying the comfort of another body close to her, she had her mind on something else. The strange sticky feeling between her legs that felt different than the last time. Trying to be discreet, she slowly slipped her hand down her pajama shorts.  _ Was I having sex dreams? _ She thought as she felt the strange sticky substance.  _ That wouldn’t surprise me, I’ve been so horny lately and- _

Aurora gasped loudly as she shot up from her lying position, prompting Ignis to do the same with a bewildered look on his face. “What? What is it?” He asked in a slight panic, fumbling for his glasses. Aurora didn’t answer, she was still in shock staring at her bloodied fingers. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” Aurora shuffled to her feet and out of the tent, trying not to get blood on anything on her way out. Once she was out of the tent, waking everyone in the process, she checked her shorts to see if there was any more blood. There was a small amount that had soaked through and stained her little shorts. Her underwear was completely drenched and ruined. Aurora didn’t know how to react, she felt like crying and screaming but all she said was, “Aw man, I liked these undies. They had little moogles on them.”

“Aurora, will you please explain what’s going on?” Ignis shuffled out of the tent in a huff, clearly annoyed as equally as he was concerned. Then he noticed the blood on her fingers, “Are you injured? Here, let me have a look.” He started walking closer but Aurora backed away.

“N-no!” She wiped the blood off on her shorts. No point in trying to keep them clean since they were already sullied with her blood. “This is a me problem, I can handle it.”

“Nonsense, give me your hand,” at this point he was looming over her and bringing her hand up to inspect it. 

“No, no, no, let go! The blood isn’t coming from my hand!” She wiggled her wrist out of his grasp.

“Then where is it coming from? Why won’t you cooperate and talk to me?” Ignis’ tone was very much annoyed until he saw Aurora’s face heat up. She looked away from him but not before she saw him relax his shoulders, his own cheeks turning a light shade of pink. “Aurora…”

“I know.”

“I’m sorry-”

“No, don’t. This is already so embarrassing,” Aurora hid her face for a moment before sliding her hands down her face and looking back at Ignis. “This...this hasn’t happened in...a very,  _ very _ long time.”

“Is it because your body stopped aging?” He asked, crossing his arms. Aurora nodded. “So, it’s been 204 years?”

“Yup. Of  _ course _ it was because I’m having my period, everything that’s been happening this past week makes so much more sense now. The bloating, my chest being tender, my irritability, the honriness,” Ignis raised a brow at the last statement before Aurora continued. “But why is it happening?”

“Perhaps you’re aging again?”

Aurora laughed dryly, “That would mean I’ve found my soulmate again. Come on, Ignis, I thought you were the smart one,” she kept up with her fake laughter to get her point across. 

“Why wouldn’t that be possible?” Prompto asked from the tent. Aurora turned her head to see the other boys peeking their heads out of the tent. “I mean, if that’s the only way to break your immortality curse, or whatever, then that has to be it!”

“He’s right, for a change,” Noctis agreed. “But who is it?”

“Probably one of us, right?” Prompto laughed awkwardly at his own question. “Oh boy, that’s a little weird, huh?”

“You’re all idiots, that’s absolutely not it,” Aurora scoffed. “Now can we please head to a store where I can buy some tampons?”

The group piled into the car, Aurora taking the passenger seat with a towel underneath just in case she soaked through her pants. The ride was silent, save for the moaning and groaning coming from Aurora.

“Hey, so,” Prompto peeked his head up from the back seat of the Regalia where he was sitting with Gladio and Noctis. “If you hadn’t been having your monthly lady problems, then how is Dino your grandkid? Wouldn’t you have to be able to have kids to have a grandkid?”

“Prompto’s got a point,” Noctis noted. “What gives?”

Aurora slouched in the passenger seat, “Ignis.”

“Dino is not her biological grandson,” Ignis explained. “She adopted Dino’s mother.”

“Oh. I mean, hey, that was super nice of you to adopt a kid!” Prompto smiled.

Aurora simply groaned in response. “Uhhgg, being a woman might not be worth the pain,” she grumbled. “I forgot how shitty this is.”

“Hey, anything that bleeds for seven days and  _ doesn’t die _ is a force to be reckoned with in my books,” Gladio said from the backseat. Aurora chuckled but quickly went back to her pathetic whining.

  
  
  


“Iris!” Gladio called into the hotel lobby of the Leville.

“Hey, what’s up you guys?” Iris smiled as he walked down the stairs to greet them.

“We have a female emergency,” Gladio nodded toward Aurora, who was a groaning mess, leaning against Prompto for support. 

“What do you mean? What’s wrong?” Iris cocked her head to the side.

The boys were all silent as they tried to think of a way to explain the situation without giving away Aurora’s secret. “I ran out of tampons,” Aurora sighed, feeling the awkward air in the room. “Do you know where I can get some?”

“Oh! Yeah, totally, come with me,” Iris took Aurora’s hand and led her out of the hotel.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Ignis called out as he followed them.

“I’m on my period, I’m not dying. Shoo,” Aurora waved him off. “Go relax, I’ll be back later.” Reluctantly, Ignis complied and left the girls to go shopping.

“Geez, what’s got the boys all stressed out?” Iris grumbled.

“It’s my fault, I freaked out this morning when I started bleeding,” Aurora sighed as she clutched her aching stomach. She was limping since she hadn’t fully healed her leg the night before. “With everything we’ve been going through, tracking my time of the month completely slipped my mind.”

“Oh, I get it,” Iris nodded in an understanding manner. “Hey, I don’t mean to be rude but you look pretty rough. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Huh? Oh, right. The stitches and stuff,” Aurora sighed as she ran her fingers along the stitching above her temple. “We were in a pretty intense scuffle yesterday. The boys are fine but I ended up breaking my leg and splitting my eyebrow open. Ignis patched me up and I was able to partially heal my leg before running out of magic.”

“Running out of magic?” Iris was very confused. 

“Oh right,” Aurora stopped walking and took out her lyre. “I can heal wounds with my music.”

“Whoa! Can I try?” Iris gingerly took the lyre from Aurora’s hands and plucked at a few strings.  _ Plink plunk _ “Is it working? Feeling healed yet?”  _ Plink plank plonk. _

Aurora laughed, “You’re a natural.” She took the lyre back and placed it back on her hip. “I’ll fully heal myself a little later. I’m still pretty worn out from yesterday.”

“In the meantime, let’s get you some supplies,” Iris smiled as she entered a convenience store, Aurora close behind. 

The girls took their time getting everything Aurora needed, as well as a few things she didn’t need but very much wanted. Feminine hygiene products, a hot water bottle, chocolates, a mushroom plushie with a little face. You know, the essentials. 

“What the hell is a diva cup?” Aurora asked as she showcased the boxed product to Iris.

“Have you never heard of these before? It’s a silicon cup you can use instead of tampons. It’s supposed to be good for the environment because you use less waste,” Iris explained. 

“Wow, the world really advances without you when you seclude yourself in the woods for years,” Aurora mumbled. “Like, now they sell vibrators in convenience stores? Lucis has no shame.”

“Eh, they aren’t that great anyway,” Iris shrugged. Aurora gave her a look and Iris went completely red. “I--uh--I mean, y’know. Not like I’ve tried these ones before, ha ha…”

“It’s cool, Iris, I’m not gonna rat you out to your brother,” Aurora rubbed her arm reassuringly. “The most important sexual relationship you’ll ever have is with yourself. People need the time to explore themselves, I’m not one to judge.”

Iris sighed heavily, “Thanks, um...actually I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced,” Iris offered her hand. “You already know I’m Iris.”

“Iris Amicitia, yeah,” Aurora took her hand and shook it. “My name is Aurora Denond. I’m the crew’s personal healer...when I’m not a mess like I am now.”

“We should probably head back. The guys are probably getting worried about you.”

“Yeah, let me just buy this new fangled period cup,” Aurora joked, walking to the teller.

“We’re back!” Iris called as the girls entered the hotel room. The boys were playing cards at the table.

“Heya!” Prompto waved. Aurora wasted no time dropping her bags of goods and flopping onto the bed Prompto was sitting on. “Didjya get me anything?”

“I got you guys some chips but if you touch my chocolate, I will murder you in front of everyone,” Aurora mumbled into the bed. 

“Ooou, chips,” Prompto hopped off the bed and rummaged through the bags and pulled out the diva cup, confused. “What’s this?”

“It’s a menstrual cup,” Ignis replied after looking at the item.

“Menstrual?” Prompto thought long and hard about that word. “Oh! Ew! Lady stuff!” He let the item fall back into the bag.

“Children, all of you,” Aurora grumbled.

“Hey, so, when are we gonna talk about how Rory made a literal wave of fire yesterday?” Prompto asked as he played with the mushroom plushie Aurora purchased earlier.

“Oh yeah, since when could you do that?” Noctis asked, looking up from his phone. 

“I told you, I can do more than just healing magic,” Aurora shrugged as Prompto fed her a piece of chocolate. “Back in the day before the time of King Regis, I used to use that move a lot when taking out multiple enemies. It became my ‘signature move’ when I wanted to get shit done so I was given the title Solar Wind as an homage to my name and the magic I use.”

“You said using magic like that takes a lot out of you,” Gladio piped up.

“Yeah, I was super reckless back then. Depleting my magic constantly, thinking I was invincible,” Aurora laughed to herself. “I was a dumbass and nearly killed myself.”

“We’ll see to it that you don’t do that now that you’re with us,” Ignis said quietly. Aurora gave him a look, knowing he was talking about something else. He shrugged and went back to playing solitaire. 

“Anyway, don’t expect me to do that kind of magic often.”

“Okay, but warn me before you do so I can take some sick pictures,” Prompto beamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Periods are hard. Especially when you haven't had one in a very long time and forget just how terrible it is.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heart to heart with Gladio, an attempted confession, and nowhere near close to continuing the actual plot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is a lot like my actual experiences with the game. Lots of fucking around and very little story progression.  
> But we're slowly inching forward!
> 
> Warning!!  
> This chapter contains mentions of suicide

“Hey Rore?” Gladio started as he sat beside her on one of the beds in the hotel. The healer had settled into her pain for the week, a hot water bottle halfway down her pants, medications and her lyre were never far away, and Prompto was usually around to help her with anything she needed. “How about you and me go for a walk?”

“Yeah, I could go for a walk.” She got up from the bed, removing the hot water bottle from her pants.

While walking through the dimly lit streets, Gladio spoke up, “So, mind telling me why you’re denying the fact that you probably found your new soulmate?”

Aurora groaned as she began scratching her arm, “ _ Because _ , Gladio.”

“That’s not the answer I’m looking for, sweetheart,” he stopped walking to fully face her, his expression stern like a disappointed father. “What are you scared of?”

“Well, if you’re this perceptive about the whole situation then you should know  _ exactly _ what I’m afraid of!” Aurora wanted that sentence to come out much more sassy but it ended up sounding so broken as she held back tears. 

“You know who it is, don’t you?” Aurora nodded. “It’s Iggy, isn’t it?” The tears Aurora was holding back finally started to fall as she looked up at Gladio. She looked like a scared child. “Hey, come on now. Don’t cry.” He brought her close as Aurora cried into his chest. 

“Deep down I knew the whole time. As soon as we first touched. I didn’t want to believe it. It’s been so long, Gladio,” she cried. Gladio rubbed her back to soothe her. She pulled away from him and wiped a few tears away, “After so many years, I never thought this would happen again. I gave up and now I’m not prepared. I have so many conflicting feelings, I really don’t know how to convey them. I want a soulmate again but this world is so different. Ignis has been aging normally like the rest of you, he can easily reject the idea and go on with his life,” Aurora leaned against the wall of a nearby building.

“Why don’t you just tell him?” Gladio shrugged.

Aurora laughed dryly. “Gladio, this isn’t some high school crush. It’s a bit more complicated than that,” she pushed herself off of the wall with her arms crossed. “This is the first soulmate that I have encountered in this dimension. I didn’t even think it was possible at this point. I don’t want to fuck this up, even if it means I have to just be friends with him for the rest of my life.”

“Doesn’t seem like that would make you happy,” Gladio pressed his lips together.

“It’s better than…” Aurora stopped herself, more scratching. “Nevermind.”

“Better than what?” Gladio urged.

She brought a hand up to her face and groaned. “Can I...can I trust you with some sensitive information about me?”

“Yeah, as long as you’re comfortable telling me,” Gladio smiled but it didn’t help bring the mood up. 

“Okay, well,” Aurora took a deep breath, trying not to cry even harder. “You know how Ignis and I met, right?”

“He found your house when he needed medical attention.”

“Mhm...it was pretty late in the evening. I had set up a lot of self care stuff for myself. A nice bath, good food, wine...popped a lot of pills…” Aurora paused to gauge Gladio’s reaction. She could only see him knit his brows together. Otherwise, he was silent, waiting for her to continue. “They were, uh, sleeping pills. Too many sleeping pills.”

“Were you...were you gonna, you know,” Gladio shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, scratching the back of his head. “Off yourself?”

Aurora nodded, lifting her head up so that her tears wouldn’t fall. “I…” A failed attempt. The tears started flowing as she sobbed. “I just wanted to finally die.” 

Gladio closed the gap between them, holding her close once again as she wept. “I’m sorry, kid,” he stroked her hair gently. “But...why didn’t you?”

She sniffed hard, wiping her wet cheeks, “Ignis showed up. I couldn’t just leave him out there to die,” she wiped her nose on her sleeve, immediately regretting it. “Once he was gone I was going to go back to plan A but he told me that Regis had died and that kickstarted the whole reason I’m sticking with you guys now!”

“Yeah, I know that part,” there was a short pause. “Can I ask why?”

“Why did I want to die? Well…you already know I can’t die by old age, or at least I couldn’t before,” Aurora started fiddling with one of her braids and let out a shaky breath. “I...um...I was tired of living for so long and I was scared of what would happen if I kept going. That history would just keep repeating itself...I couldn’t take seeing the people I love die around me anymore. I figured it was my turn.”

“Have you told anyone else?”

“I told Dino. He deserved to know and Ignis found out by accident,” she began fiddling with the fabric of her shirt. “He heard the tailend of my conversation with Dino because he was coming over to apologize to me the first time. He confessed to eavesdropping when he actually managed to apologize for real. We got drunk so I gave him some details.”

Gladio huffed in amusement. “So that’s what you two were doing that night,” he smiled. “Hey, thanks for telling me. I know it wasn’t easy.”

Aurora let out the breath she didn’t realise she had been holding, “It…it feels good to tell someone.”

“I still don’t know why this is even happening,” Aurora stated as they continued their walk. “Why now? Why not 200 years ago? It really shouldn’t have taken this long, based on all the stories from back home.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t read too much into it,” Gladio ruffled her hair.

“But there are rules! He’s aging like the rest of you just fine yet I’m here unaging looking like a snack at the ripe old age of 228,” The healer groaned, bending down to massage her tender leg. She still hadn’t fully healed it and the walk had begun to irritate it. 

“Maybe he’s the exception to the rules,” Gladio shrugged. “Like I said, it might be best if you don’t read into it too much.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets with a smirk, “Man, Iggy’s your soulmate. I bet you’ve been in love with him this whole time.”

“Hah!” Aurora laughed. “You can’t be more wrong. I hated him with every fiber of my being at the beginning. At first I was kinda hopeful but as time went on I realised he didn’t want anything to do with me. I told myself that if he tried killing me a third time I’d just let him.”

“Oof, that’s not the cheesy romance novel plot I was hoping for,” Gladio sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth. “You told him that he looks like what’s-his-face, right? Vincent?”

“Varin,” Aurora corrected with a laugh. “Yeah, when his hair is down he really looks like my late husband. I’ve tried so hard to keep his memory burned into my brain but with Ignis around that memory is getting fuzzy and...more Ignis shaped.”

The duo made their way back to the inn and up the stairs to their rooms. “Hey, Gladio?”

“Hm?”

“While I appreciate you listening, I still don’t think I can say anything to Ignis just yet,” Aurora ran her fingers through her hair. “He hated me a few weeks ago. Who’s to say he won’t go back to feeling that way?”

“Nah, he trusts you now. You don’t have to worry,” Gladio placed a hand on Aurora’s shoulder, “Besides, you said that every soulmate gets reincarnated. That their soul will always be the same. He’s just--oh, what did you say?--Ignis shaped now.”

Aurora huffed in amusement as they neared the door to their room. “So, can you keep this between us for a bit?”

“Sure thing, sweetheart,” Gladio smiled. “I’ll leave you with this little bit of advice: let go.”

“Hm?” Aurora cocked her head.

“It’s pretty obvious that you’re holding onto a past you can barely remember. While I’m sure it was great, that  _ he _ was great, it’s not where you are now. But Iggy is here now,” Gladio explained in a hush tone as to not let the conversation seep into the hotel room. 

“But what if he says no?” Aurora whispered in a shaky voice.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” he patted her shoulder. “I am 110% sure he’s into you, but I’ll be here for you no matter what.”

“Thank you, Gladio.” She smiled. Gladio pulled her into a one arm hug and kissed the top of her head. Just then, the door opened and Ignis nearly walked into the duo.

“Am I interrupting something?” He asked in a surprisingly cold voice.

“Nah, we’re just having a moment,” Gladio smiled at Ignis as he let go of Aurora.

“Well, since the moment has passed, it’s time for bed,” Ignis turned back into the room.

“Is it just me or did he seem a bit more...unfeeling than usual?” Aurora turned to Gladiolus, who merely shrugged.

“Maybe it’s his time of the month, too.”

Aurora laughed and playfully shoved Gladio before they entered the room. 

  
  
  


“I think I want to go on another walk,” Aurora said as she rolled around on the bed, restless. “Who wants to take a walk with me?”

“Iggy, why don’t you go?” Gladio asked, patting his shoulder. “I went yesterday.”

“Yeah, we can go to the market and get some ingredients,” Aurora sat up and stretched. She began hopping lightly up and down, “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

“Looks like someone’s got their energy back,” Noctis laughed as he looked up from his phone. 

“Very well,” Ignis lifted himself from his chair. “Shall we?”

“Look at all this cool stuff!” Aurora exclaimed as they entered the market place. “I bet you could think up a bunch of cool  _ recipehs _ with all these ingredients.”

“You seem rather jubilant,” Ignis smiled as Aurora skipped along to another stall. “Any reason why?”

“I’ve just been feeling so much better today! No pain, got my energy back,” She turned to Ignis with a smile, “Good company.”

“I’m glad you enjoy my company,” Ignis smiled as he picked out some fresh veggies. “I rather enjoy yours as well.” 

“Quite the contrast to the beginning of our friendship,” Aurora crossed her arms lightly. “I believe you tried to leave my care when you had a high fever, hm?”

Ignis chuckled, “Not my best decision.”

“Damn right it wasn’t,” Aurora poked him playfully on the chest. “Who’s the best healer on Eos?”

“The Oracle,” Ignis replied swiftly. Aurora puffed her cheeks out in annoyance as Ignis laughed, patting her gently on the shoulder. “Apologies, I couldn’t resist.”

“You really like to push my buttons. Don’t you, Crista,” Aurora shoved him lightly.

The duo continued to shop. Aurora would lean close to Ignis and whisper  _ ‘recipeh’ _ whenever he stared at the produce a little too long. It would almost always end in Ignis shoving her face away from him and Aurora giggling. Her eyes caught something past the advisor, a stall selling small instruments. She made a beeline to the stall and examined the items for sale. 

There were many different instruments. Flutes, harmonicas, ukuleles, kalimbas, harps, but there was only one that caught her attention. A wooden lyre. Though she had one already, this one was much more ornate. The wood was much darker and there were intricate carvings of chocobo near the bottom. It looked to be very well made. She picked it up and ran her fingers over the carvings.

“You’ve got a good eye,” the merchant smiled. “Ever played one before?”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Aurora reached behind her and brought up her lyre. “I have one of my own.”

The merchant whistled as he leaned in to get a better look at the old relic. “Whoa, that thing looks ancient. It’s clearly seen better days,” He looked back up at Aurora. “Seems like it’s time for a new one, wouldn’t you say?”

Aurora let out a noise of uncertainty. She checked the price of the ornate lyre and cringed as she set it down. “Price is a bit much. I don’t think I can.”

“Tell you what,” the merchant placed a hand on his hip. “If you give me your old one, I’ll give you a nice discount. I’m interested in the craftsmanship. Who made it?”

“Varin Denond,” Aurora replied, looking down at the lyre. “He’s been dead for over 200 years.”

The merchant let out another long whistle, “Damn, that’s one old lyre. This Varin guy is one hell of a craftsman to make something last this long. So whaddya say? Gonna let me take it off your hands?”

Aurora was silent. Staring down at the old lyre, it almost felt like it was staring back at her. The worn letters of Varin’s name that were burned into the side of the instrument were barely visible after years of wear. Gladio’s words played over and over in her mind.  _ Let go _ .

_ Let go. _

_ Let go… _

_ I can’t. _

_ Why can’t I let go? _

She brought it close to her chest and shook her head vigorously, “No. I’m sorry. I can’t part with it. It’s a priceless family heirloom.”

“Eh, I can respect that,” the merchant sighed. “Damn shame, though. Let me know if you ever change your mind. The offer still stands.”

“Aurora!” Ignis called as he walked up to the stall she was standing in front of. “I lost you for a moment. Did you find something you like?”

“Uh, n-no,” she clutched the lyre tighter as she turned and bowed to the merchant. “Thank you for your time.” She shuffled away and back into the crowd. Ignis sighed, not wanting to try and find her again.

“Your girlfriend really liked this instrument,” the merchant smiled.

“Pardon?” Ignis looked at the merchant, the mention of a girlfriend took him by surprise.

“Your girlfriend,” the merchant repeated. He motioned in the direction Aurora had gone. “Pretty little thing with the curly hair? She really liked this lyre.” He lifted the ornate wooden lyre from his stall. Ignis took the lyre from the merchant to examine it closer. “I also do engravings to make the instruments more personal,” the merchant added.

“How much?”

  
  


Aurora placed her back against the wall of a building, letting her head fall back. She tried to think of Varin, what his face looked like, but all she could see was Ignis. 

_ You’re holding onto a past you can barely remember _

“I’m scared,” she whispered. A tear rolled down her cheek. “I’m so scared of letting go.”

A ringing in Aurora’s pocket brought her back to the present. She took out her phone and saw the name ‘Crista Science’ and a selfie of her and Ignis drunk and happy, taken during their time at Galdin Quay. She was holding the bouquet the boys got her and Ignis was holding the bottle of wine they shared. She swiped to answer and brought the phone to her ear. “Ignis?”

“Aurora, where are you?” Ignis asked, his voice muffled by the noise the crowd around him was making.

“I’m just outside of the market in a back alley somewhere, I dunno,” Aurora shrugged.

“You may as well get back to the inn,” Ignis tried talking over the noise. The volume of his voice made Aurora lift her phone a couple inches away from her ear. “I still have a few things I’d like to do in the market. You don’t have to wait for me.”

“Yeah, okay,” she paused for a moment. “Hey, Ignis?”

“Yes?”

_ I really like you _

“I, uh…”

_ I think I might love you _

“C-can you make that mushroom risotto I really like?” Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose, cursing herself. “I’ve really been craving it.”

Aurora could hear an amused huff from Ignis, “Of course, Bug.”

“Thanks,” Aurora smiled weakly. “Don’t be too long, okay?”

“Perish the thought.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you ever start writing a story and the more revision it goes through, the more the title doesn't actually make sense? I finally got to namedrop the title, lol!  
> Much like how I call FFXV "The good boy hours", I don't actually call this story by its real name.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party time!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How big do you think the cake would have to be to fit 229 candles on it?

A low buzzing sound woke Aurora from her deep slumber. She groaned and stretched hard enough that she shook. She heard a low giggle from the body beside her, their arm tightening around her waist. “That was adorable,” Ignis mumbled. They had agreed to sleep together again like the night before since Aurora slept much better with someone close to her. Secretly, she didn’t mind, but had made a fuss about it the night before as Ignis kept insisting it would help.

“Shut up,” Aurora lightly smacked his arm before reaching for her phone, that was still buzzing. “Hello?”

“Aurora! Good morning!” Iris’s voice chimed loudly from the other end of the call. “I have an emergency!”

“You sound a little too happy for this to be an emergency,” Aurora yawned as she rubbed her eye.

“Well...could you please just come down anyway? Emergencies don’t have to be urgent,” the young woman was fumbling.

“Iris, sweetie, that’s the definition of an emergency,” the healer pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“Ah, oou, oh no, I’m hurt! I need healing! Emergenccyyyyyy,” Iris was a terrible actor and was not convincing in the slightest. It made Aurora laugh.

“Fine, I’ll be down in 20 minutes,” she sighed.

“Great! See you then!”

“What was that about?” Ignis mumbled into Aurora’s hair, he surprised himself with how comfortable and sleepy he was. He was usually up already making breakfast but the smell of her hair was intoxicating and the warmth of her body enticed him to stay, keeping himself curled around her protectively.

“Iris wants me to go see her,” Aurora replied as she tried to wiggle out of Ignis’s grasp. Despite himself, he tightened his grip to keep her there. “Uh…? Ignis, let go.”

_ No. I need you to stay _

“Forgive me, I’m still finding the energy to move,” he rolled onto his back and ran a hand through his hair.

“That’s unusual,” Aurora laughed quietly, slipping her pants on. “You’re usually up and ready at this point in the day.”

“Perhaps you’ve sucked the energy from me?” The advisor joked.

“An energy vampire? That sounds about right,” Aurora giggled before entering the bathroom.

Ignis could hear giggling form the bed beside him. He turned his head to see Noctis and Prompto poking their heads out from under the covers and looking at him. “Looks like you were holding her like you’ve been holding her your whole life,” Prompto said in a dreamy voice, sighing. “How romantic.”

“That was merely to help her sleep,” Ignis scoffed, getting out of bed. “Don’t read into it.”

“Do you think you could hold me like that, Specs?” Noctis teased. The advisor ignored their teasing as he walked into the kitchenette to prepare breakfast.

“Okay, I’m out of here!” Aurora called to the group as she walked out of the bathroom. She was in the middle of braiding some of her hair when she grabbed her lyre and placed it in the holster on her hip. 

“Have breakfast before you go,” Gladio said as he threw something at the healer. She caught it and got a good look at the item. An onion.

“You trying to kill me, big guy? Get in line, Crista already has first dibs,” She laughed as she threw the onion back. “Okay,  _ now _ I’m out of here. I’ll be back uuhhhh soon? Yeah. Soon. Bye!”

“Bye Rore,” Gladio smiled as the small woman left the room. 

“Could you cease the incessant flirting?” Ignis growled at the tattooed man. He ripped the onion from his hand. “I also don’t appreciate you joking about poisoning our healer.”

“Whoa. Iggy,” Gladio was surprised but couldn’t help the amused lilt in his voice. “Accusing  _ me _ of flirting and poisoning? You afraid I’ll take your place?”

“Why don’t you go find her and have an intimate moment over some wine?” Noctis joked as he lounged on the bed. 

“Maybe I will,” Gladio smiled broadly before an onion was hurled at his head.

“You will do NO SUCH THING!” Ignis yelled. The other three looked over to him with bewildered faces. The advisor stared back at them with a slack jaw, surprised at his own actions. “I...I need a moment.” He made for the door and quickly closed it behind him. He could hear the boys chattering excitedly as he pressed his weight against the door, slowly slipping to the ground. “What did I just…”

_ Whose feelings are these? _

“Drat,” Ignis groaned, his head in his hands. “They’re mine.”

  
  


“Shopping?” Aurora asked as the young woman dragged her into a clothing store. “That was the big emergency you called me about?”

“Yeah! I need a friend to help me pick out some new clothes,” Iris said with a wink. “Maybe we can find something for you, too.”

“No way, I’ve got a formula going. Baggy clothes are comfortable and make sure people don’t judge,” Aurora explained as she methodically flipped through the clothes hanging on the racks, not even bothering to actually look at what they were. 

“Oh, really?” Iris raised an eyebrow. “That’s a pretty tight tank top you’re wearing.”

“Everything else is baggy!”

“How about you humour me and try this on?” The young girl handed Aurora a blue dress with white patterns. “It even looks like your cardigan so you’re not straying too far from what you’re used to.”

“Fine,” Aurora started for the change rooms.

Once she came out, Iris gasped. The dress looked as if it was made for the healer. It was a backless sundress that tied at the back of her neck, the straps hugged her chest nicely and it flared out at the bottom slightly, which stopped at mid thigh. A cute bow was situated just above her backside.

“Iris,” Aurora whined pathetically. “I can’t wear a bra in this. And I don’t care for the butt bow.”

“Are you kidding?! You look fantastic!” Iris stomped her foot on the ground. “You are wearing that out today.”

“But I’ll be braless.” Aurora hid herself behind the curtain of the changing room. For once, she was shy about her body.

“Oh, come on!” Iris dragged the older woman out from the changing room and out into the store in front of a mirror. “You look so good! Guys will be lining up just to talk to you!”

“I don’t worry myself with the opinions of men,” Aurora mumbled, mostly to herself.

“That’s a great outlook,” Iris smiled. “Men, who needs ‘em!”

  
  
  
  
  


The girls started making their way back to the hotel a couple hours into shopping. Iris had convinced the older woman to wear the dress out, gaining many compliments after exiting the store and meandering around the other shops. Aurora was enjoying her time with the younger woman. It had been a long time since she had fun with just girls. She made a mental note to try spending more time with Iris, should the occasion arise.

“I had fun today,” Iris smiled as they walked up the steps of the hotel. 

“Me too,” Aurora smiled back. “It’s nice to forget about the rest of the world, if only for a day.”

“I’m sure that trend will continue for the rest of the day.”

The healer turned her head toward Iris as she opened the door to her hotel room. “What makes you say tha--”

“SURPRISE!”

Aurora jumped at the sudden loud sounds. Tiny confetti crackers were being popped, the little streamers falling into her hair. 

“W-Wha?” She looked around the room to see it decorated with colourful birthday streamers and a banner. There were even balloons. It was so...childish? She couldn’t help but smile at the tacky scene in front of her. “What’s all this?”

“It’s a birthday party,” Noctis smiled, cracking another party popper.

“For you!!” Prompto exclaimed as he put a birthday party hat on Aurora’s head. He had already given himself two party hats, looking like horns on his head.

“But how’d you know that today is my birthday?”

“We got the date from Dino,” Gladio explained.

Aurora exhaled through her nose with a smile. Of course it was Dino. Iris hopped over to Aurora and gave her a hug, “Happy birthday! Ignis told me you’re 25 today?”

Aurora turned to Ignis, who gave her a wink. She smiled, “Yeah.”

“Well, you and I should totally do more shopping together,” Iris smiled brightly. “But I gotta go for a bit. Have fun!”

“Come on, blow out your candles!” Prompto urged Aurora to the small table with a cake. “I wanted to put 229 candles on the cake but Ignis wouldn’t let me.”

“We want to celebrate Aurora’s birthday, not create a fire hazard,” Ignis sighed.

“Be sure to make a wish before you blow out the candles,” Gladio pat Aurora on the shoulder as she sat in front of her cake. She stared at it in deep thought. What should she wish for? What did she want?

She looked up at the boys, who were waiting patiently for her to make a wish. Her gaze lingered on Ignis for a moment too long and she turned away, bringing her hands up, clasped them together, and closed her eyes. 

_ I wish… _

Without opening her eyes, Aurora blew on the candles, snuffing them all out. The boys clapped and cheered.

“So, what did ya wish for?” Prompto asked, sitting beside her.

“I can’t tell you,” Aurora pushed his face out of her personal bubble. “It won’t come true otherwise!”

The next few hours were full of silly shenanigans. Prompto tried fitting as many noisemakers in his mouth as he could. Noctis and Aurora had bet the last piece of cake on a game of darts; she won but they shared the cake. The older three had been drinking, the younger two stealing tastes every now and then from Aurora, much to Ignis’s displeasure. 

“I should probably heal my leg again,” The healer mumbled to herself as she rummaged through her bag and pulled out her lyre. After sprawling herself out on one of the beds, she began playing a little tune and singing happy birthday to herself. “Happy birthday to me~”

Prompto chimed in with a noisemaker.  _ Fweeee _ “So! How does it feel being 229?”

“Literally the exact same as 228,” Aurora laughed as she sat up from the bed. “Feels like a curse.”

“But...you’re aging now?”

“Yes, well, being a woman is a curse in itself. What mastermind thought it would be a good idea to make women bleed for days and be in pain?” Aurora scoffed.

“Do you want more chocolate?” Prompto pat Aurora on the back.

“...yes.” 

“Aurora,” she felt someone place a hand on her shoulder. She turned to find Ignis, “A moment?”

“Oh sure,” Aurora followed Ignis out of the room and into the one Glaio was using beside theirs. The room was much smaller than the other one, only having one bed, a chair, and a tiny balcony. 

Ignis walked onto the balcony. As Aurora followed, she could see him holding two tiny bottles. “To keep the tradition going,” He said with a smile as he handed one to Aurora.

“Aw, it’s so cute,” she giggled, getting a better look at the little bottle. It was a wine bottle. “A mini wine bottle. Makes me feel like a giant.” she unscrewed the top and took a sip.

“The only time you’ll ever be larger than something, to be sure,” Ignis teased. 

“Rude,” Aurora snorted with an animated eye roll. She reached over to him and snapped one of his suspenders, much to the advisor’s surprise. “Nice suspenders, by the way. _ Nerd _ .”

“I beg your pardon?” His voice was at a higher pitch than normal. Whether or not his offended tone was legitimate or not, Aurora couldn’t tell. "I dressed appropriately for the occasion. Something you have done, as well."

The healer looked down at her dress, adjusting the straps to cover her chest more. "Yeah, Iris said I looked good in it and wanted me to buy it."

"I'm inclined to agree," Ignis smiled as he tried to be discreet about the once-over he gave her. Aurora still noticed and made her hyper aware of the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra. She tried to shake away her anxieties and be chill.

"It's pretty rare that I dress up these days so drink it in," she mused as she leaned against the railing, facing the inside of the hotel. She noticed a box sitting on the single chair situated on the balcony. “What’s that?”

“That is a gift,” Ignis picked up the box and handed it to Aurora. “For you.”

“Really?” 

“You seem surprised,” Ignis chuckled. “Is it not customary to give gifts to others outside of Insomnia?”

“Well, yeah, gifts are common. I mean, uh, I just didn’t…” she looked down at the gift in her hand. It wasn’t wrapped but in a wooden box with a card on top. “I didn’t expect to get anything other than what Dino gave me.” She motioned to the bracelet that hugged her upper arm. 

The healer sat on the chair, placed the box on her lap, and picked up the card. She examined the front:

_ Like a fine wine _

_ You are aged to perfection _

She giggled, “Did you write this?”

“Indeed. You’re old enough to make a very fine wine,” he joked as he leaned against the wall beside her.

Aurora nudged him playfully, “Stop it.”

She flipped the card open.

_ Perfection doesn’t _

_ Leave mushroom for _

_ Improvement _

_ Love, _

_ Ignis (Crista) _

_ Love.  _ That word made Aurora’s heart stop but she couldn’t help but laugh at the mushroom pun. “You’re funny.” 

She placed the card on the small metal table beside the chair before carefully lifting the top of the box. Her eyes widened when she saw the contents.The same ornate wooden lyre she was smitten with in the market was staring back at her. “Ignis…” she breathed, gently taking the lyre out of the box. She traced her fingers over the chocobo engraved into the wood but noticed something new. A new engraving on the side that wasn’t there before.  _ Love Ignis  _ it read. She held the lyre close to her chest, lowering her head to try hiding the blush that began to form. “How did you know?”

“The merchant told me how much you liked the lyre,” he replied. “I don’t expect you to replace your current one; I know how much that one means to you. I won’t be offended if you decide not to use this one. I just felt that you should have something nice for your birthday.”

Aurora placed the lyre on the table before getting up and wrapping her arms around Ignis’s neck, fully embracing the warm feeling that ran down her spine. Even on her tiptoes, Ignis still had to lean forward to compensate for the height difference. “I love it. Thank you so much Ignis.”

It took a moment but Ignis slowly wrapped his arms around Aurora’s waist, resting his face in the crook of her neck. “You’re very welcome.”

The embrace lasted longer than either of them had realised. Once Aurora snapped out of the euphoric feeling of being physically close to her soulmate, she pulled away. They both seemed a little frazzled, not willing to make eye contact. 

“Um, well, I guess we should get back to the others,” Aurora suggested.

“Indeed,” Ignis cleared his throat while adjusting his glasses.

_ I wish...I wish you could love someone as broken as me. _

_ But after everything… _

_ Could you really see me that way? _

Ignis watched as Aurora and Prompto raced to see how many balloons they could get to static cling onto Noctis and Gladio. Aurora was in the lead by a couple balloons but Prompto was sticking two balloons onto Noctis at once, taking the lead moments later. “Hey, no fair!” Aurora cried.

“You didn’t say how many balloons we could do at once!” Prompto playfully stuck his tongue out. Aurora did the same, catching her tongue between her teeth in a cute smile. It made Ignis’s chest tighten. “I win!!”

“You win the balloon race, but can you win the hallway roller chair derby?” Aurora challenged the blonde.

“Oh, you’re on!!” The duo ran out into the hallway, Noctis close behind.

“You’re not gonna stop them?” Gladio asked as he picked balloons off of his body.

“Let them have their fun,” Ignis shrugged with a smile, hearing the other three giggling and screaming in the hall. “It’s not often that morale is so high.”

  
_ CRASH  _ “WHOOO!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posts will be a little less frequent for a while, probably once a week? I'm doing Inktober and also these next chapters are finally doing something plot related, hurray!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group finally makes the trek to Cape Caem.

After a couple more days of lounging and taking odd jobs to help pay for their extended stay at the Leville, Iris was finally ready to head to Cape Caem.

“Guys, we got a problem,” Prompto said as the gang approached the car. “There’s too many of us to fit.”

“Aurora can just sit on Iggy’s lap,” Gladio teased but his teasing was swiftly met with Aurora’s elbow in his ribs.

“While that’s all fine and dandy, instead of being a hazard I can just ride Beans to the destination,” Aurora said as she brought up her whistle to call the large bird. 

“A chocobo?” Iris gasped. “You guys ride those?”

“Aurora, call a bird for the lady,” Ignis smiled. Aurora smiled back and blew her little whistle. Beans was trotting down the road in seconds.

“Wow! Look at how cute she is!” Iris cooed as she pet the large bird. 

“Why don’t you ride with me?” Aurora suggested.

“Really? That’s okay with you?” Iris’s eyes sparkled.

“Of course.”

Once the girls were ready and about to start trotting away, Ignis came up and spoke with Aurora in a hushed tone, “Are you sure you’ll be alright on your own?”

“Don’t worry about us, Crista. I’ve lived a long time and haven’t died once,” she winked at the man. “See you at the meeting point, ‘kay?”

“Right,” Ignis nodded as the girls sped off.

  
  


While riding to the destination Ignis had given them, Aurora could hear her phone going off in her pocket. “Iris, could you grab that for me?” She asked. 

Aurora could feel Iris rifling around in her pant pocket until she pulled out the phone and answered it. “Hello? Aurora’s phone, Iris speaking,” She beamed, holding onto Aurora’s waist with one arm to keep from falling off the large bird. “Oh, hey Ignis. Do you want to talk to Aurora? Sure thing. Aurora it’s for you.” 

Aurora took the phone and placed it at her ear. “Crista, you better not be driving while you’re on the phone with me.”

“No, we’re parked and about to enter an Imperial stronghold,” he replied. “We need the two of you to wait at the station the Regalia is parked while we deal with this.”

“Wait, what? Should I come with you?” 

“No, stay with Iris. We have everything under control.”

Aurora groaned as Beans slowed down to a small trot. “Be safe, okay?”

“You as well.”

Ignis hung up and Aurora let out a hefty sigh.

  
  


“So, you said you’re a healer, right?” Iris asked as the girls sat down at Kenny Crow’s diner. 

“I sure am. I’ve got special magic that lets me heal people,” Aurora explained. 

“Wow. That’s incredible!” Iris smiled. “You’re like the Oracle.”

“Aha, yeah…” Aurora grabbed a french fry and nibbled on it. “I’m less impressive.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean she was better than you!” Iris sounded embarrassed. “It’s just that no one has ever really seen magic like that outside of the Oracle. It’s very cool.”

“Thanks,” Aurora smiled at the young girl.

It took another hour of nibbling on french fries before Iris shot out of her seat with a wide grin.

“Hey, they’re back!” Iris said as she ran outside to greet the boys. “How’d it go?”

“Not great,” Gladio huffed. “The guy got away.”

“Oh.”

“Let’s not let that dampen our mood, hm?” Ignis leaned against the car. Even after his statement, the mood was still sour after the boys piled back into the car. Ignis turned to Aurora, “We’ll call you if the plans change.”

“Drive safe,” Aurora gave him a half smile before riding off with Iris.

It didn’t take long for Aurora to get another call. Iris picked up and got the info. “Apparently we’re stopping at Malmalam Thicket?” 

“I know where that is,” Aurora nodded, veering off onto a dirt road. “We’ll be there in a couple minutes!”

As the group made their way up the hill to Malmalam Thicket, Aurora began getting anxious, scratching her arm idly. Ignis noticed this and gently nudged her with his hand. “Something wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, no. I just…” Aurora caught a glimpse of a small path leading away from the path toward the Thicket. “I’m gonna stop for a second, you guys keep going. I’ll catch up!”

She hurriedly shuffled toward the path. There was a sign that read ‘no hunters allowed’ and she laughed. “Good thing I’m a retired hunter,” she mumbled, keeping her pace.

It didn’t take long for her to come to a small house. An old woman stood in front of her house and noticed Aurora walking toward her. The woman smiled warmly. “Long has it been, Solar Flare. Missed you, I have.”

“Hello, Kimya,” Aurora smiled.

  
  


“Rory’s been gone for a while, maybe we should go check on her,” Prompto shuffled anxiously as the group neared the entrance to the Thicket. 

“It’s been, like, 10 minutes. Relax!” Iris laughed. Just then, the group heard some shuffling and Aurora popped out of the bush.

“Speak of the Devil,” Ignis hummed.

“Sorry, sorry! I was visiting an old friend,” Aurora said as she picked at the spurs that stuck to her clothes. She stuck a couple spurs onto Noctis. “Uhg, this is what I get for not following the path…”

“Old friend?” Prompto questioned. “Like...a tree?”

“I have old friends that are still alive, Prom,” Aurora rolled her eyes. She then noticed that Iris was visibly confused.

“What does that mean?” The young woman asked. The boys were silent. Aurora had forgotten she was present, let alone that she didn’t know about her secret.

“Uhh...It’s a joke, honey. Don’t worry about it.”

As the group entered the thicket, Iris was very excited. Lightly bouncing on the balls of her feet and gazing at the large mossy rocks and trees. “Iris, sweetie,” Aurora stopped her. The healer knelt down and lifted her pant leg, revealing a beautiful red ribbon tied around her ankle. She untied it and re-tied it around Iris’s wrist. “This’ll protect you from status ailments.”

“Wow, thanks! I’ll give it back when we get out of here,” Iris smiled brightly at Aurora.

“So, you’ve had a Ribbon this whole time?!” Prompto cried. “No fair!”

“I’d hardly call it unfair if I’m the one who knows how to heal people,” Aurora sighed. “That way I can spend more time healing you guys instead of myself but one adventure without it shouldn’t hurt.”

Things were going well. The boys took care of the monsters while Aurora and Iris were the support team. Fight after fight, the girl would be there to heal their wounds. 

“I’m surprised you haven’t rushed in to save the day,” Ignis teased the healer as they continued fighting. “Given your track record of reckless behaviour.”

“Aurora is reckless?” Iris giggled as she threw a potion to her brother, keeping close to Aurora. “Is that why she had a broken leg?”

“Indeed. It’s also the reason I had to stitch the wound on her brow,” Ignis replied as he threw a dagger at a giant wasp. “Cried like a baby.”

“I am  _ right _ here,” Aurora growled at the duo. “No need to talk about me like I’m not present.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Ignis smirked. Aurora was about to shove him but saw Noctis was about to get attacked by another monster.

The healer rushed to his side, “Watch the enemy, Noct!” She scolded as she pushed him out of the way of the killer wasp, grabbing her instead and lifting her into the air. “Ahk! Ew! Gross! Help me!”

“As if right on cue,” Ignis mumbled.

Bang! Bang!

“Don’t shoot it, Prompto! You might hit Aurora!” Ignis stopped Prompto from shooting.

“Well, what are we supposed to do?!” The younger blonde yelled. Aurora was able to stab the giant bug, wounding it, but not before it sprayed her with something and threw her against a large rock. “Now I can shoot it!” Prompto shot the bug and killed it.

Gladio walked up to Aurora, who was mostly on the ground, her face squished against the rock she was thrown against. Her eyes were darting every which way. “Hey, kid, you good?” He tried grabbing her by the arm and pulling her up to her feet. She fell into him, mumbling nonsense. 

“This pillow is too hard,” she mumbled and pushed herself off of Gladio. She had no balance and her movements were like that of a drunkard. She clutched her head, “Can you all stop moving, you’re making me sick...uhg…”

Ignis walked over to her and steadied her movements, "Aurora, you seem a tad confused. Perhaps you should sit down."

"You listen here Ingus--wait no--Iggny, ahg. Ig-Ignacio," Aurora fell on her face, the world spinning.

"Are you having a stroke?" Ignis crouched down beside her, an amused lilt in his voice. "Do you need medical attention?"

"Bite me, Science," Aurora paused before correcting herself, "Scientia."

Ignis smiled as he lifted Aurora from the ground, wrapping one of her arms around his shoulders and gripping her waist to support her. “Let’s get you somewhere safe.”

“I’m gonna throw up.”

“You’re washing my clothes if you throw up on me.”

Aurora was placed in one of the folding chairs as she groaned, slouching dramatically in her chair. Iris examined Aurora and found a large bump on her forehead from when she was thrown against the rocks earlier.

“Ouch, that looks like it hurts,” Iris touched the bump and the healer hissed from pain. “Why don’t I get you an ice pack?”

“That would be wonderful, thank you Iris.”

Aurora sighed with relief when Iris placed the ice pack on her forehead. “Maybe you should take the ribbon back?” Iris suggested.

“No. Better me than you,” Aurora reassured the younger woman.

“We may as well make camp,” Ignis said as he started unpacking the camp kitchen.

“Alright, imma pitch the tent,” Gladio got his camping gear ready.

Aurora ended up falling asleep while the boys got camp set up, only waking up when Ignis shook her awake. “Nhg,” she snorted as she looked around, not realising she had fallen asleep in the first place. “Wah?” She looked at Ignis, who was crouched in front of her.

“Good evening,” he smiled softly. “Are you feeling well enough to eat?”

“I, uh, I think so,” Aurora palmed at her eye, rubbing the sleep away.

“Good because I made your favourite dessert.” Ignis raised to a standing position to get her a plate of food. He could hear a soft gasp come from her direction and he smiled.

  
  


The next morning, the group continued on into the Thicket, fighting their way through, and wading in the water. They climb up the side of a small waterfall and into a narrow cave leading out of the heavily forested area. 

“Oh no,” Aurora groaned as a large monster came into view. “What is _ that _ ?”

“A Bandersnatch,” Ignis replied. “A formidable foe. Be careful not to let it sweep you up with its tail.”

“I know you’re being cheeky and I don’t appreciate it,” Aurora narrowed her eyes at the advisor, ghosting her fingers over the stitched wound over her eye.

“I spy a tomb!” Prompto pointed to the royal tomb at the far end of the field. “Too bad there’s a huge monster between us.”

“Can you keep an eye on Iris?” Gladio asked the healer, motioning toward his sister. “This seems a bit much for her.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep her safe,” Aurora smiled as she and Iris hurried off to the side with the fallen trees. “You and me, Iris. We’re the support team.”

“Awesome! I get to watch you guys fight a huge monster!” Iris was nothing but excited, much to Aurora’s surprise. The guys were already fighting the large creature and Iris noticed the boys were struggling. “Should we go help them already?”

“Hm?” Aurora looked over at the boys just as Noctis face planted into the grass from a failed warp. “Eh, not yet.” She began to strum her lyre, healing the boys and giving them boosts.

A few more minutes of fighting go by and Noctis thought it would be a good idea to throw a powerful lightning spell at the Bandersnatch at point blank range with everyone close by. “Noct!” Ignis tried to stop him but was electrocuted and shot back into the trees. Prompto was also close enough to get badly injured and thrown away from the action.

“Rore!” Gladio bellowed. Aurora turned her attention from her injured friends and found him motioning for her to join them. “Get over here!”

“Right!” She began running to Gladio.

“Aurora, use this!” Ignis threw his polearm to Aurora as she passed him. She stumbled for a moment as she caught the weapon but got her footing back and continued to run to Gladio.

The tattooed man readied his shield, “Aim for the head!”

Aurora jumped onto the shield. Gladio launched her into the air as she readied Ignis’s weapon to strike the beast. She hadn’t been launched as high as she would have liked to strike between the eyes and the beast had moved out of range so in a last ditch effort, Aurora threw the polearm at the Bandersnatch. 

The weapon embedded itself into the side of the creature’s head. It fell to the ground, vulnerable to attacks. Gladio and Noctis took the opportunity to finish it off. 

“Wow! That was so cool to watch!” Iris clapped as she ran to the group. “Are you guys okay?”

“A little frazzled but I think we can manage,” Ignis groaned as he limped over to the group.

Aurora furrowed her brow, “Why are you limping?” She walked over to him and examined his wounds, poking his side. Ignis groaned and swatted her hand away. “You’re in bad shape. Where’s Prompto?”

“Present,” the blonde groaned with his hand raised. As he reached Aurora, he collapsed at her feet. “Please heal me.”

“Noct, can you come here for a sec?” Aurora beckoned the raven haired prince over to her.

“What’s up?” He asked right before he got smacked. “Ow! Hey! What gives!?”

“Half of your team is badly injured because of that stunt you pulled with the lightning spell! That’s ‘what’s up’, you idiot!” Aurora’s voice rose as she scolded the young prince. She pulled back Ignis’s shirt collar and revealed a jagged burn from being electrocuted. “Look at this! You’re lucky I’m here or these two wouldn’t be able to continue for a long time.”

“I’m sorry,” Noctis pouted. 

“Don’t say sorry to me, say sorry to the friends you put in danger.”

Noctis sheepishly turned to Ignis and Prompto, “Sorry guys.”

  
  


The group got the royal arm from the tomb and made their way back to the haven in Malmalam thicket. Aurora had spent the rest of her time healing the boys of their electric burns and Ignis’s hip injury. Prompto was back to his old self by the time Aurora was finished but Ignis needed more time to rest, trusting the girls to cook for everyone.

The healer was exhausted after a day of fighting and healing. She needed a nice rinse to get the grime off of her.

“Nice work out there,” Aurora praised as her and Gladio made their way to the waterfall near the haven. Iris stayed behind to chat with the others.

“Yeah, I know,” Gladio replied smugly. Aurora rolled her eyes playfully at how cocky he was. She stripped most of her clothes once they neared the waterfall, placing them on a rock where the water wouldn’t drench them. “How did we even get to this point?”

“What point?” The healer asked as she took off her bra, fully naked in front of Gladio without a hint of shame. 

“ _ This _ point,” Gladio motioned to her very naked body as he stripped his own clothes.

“From training and bathing together every morning?” Aurora replied as she got under the waterfall. “Can you pass me the shampoo?”

Gladio complied, throwing the bottle to Aurora, who caught it gracefully. “Well, aren’t I a lucky guy. Getting to see your tits before your  _ soulmate _ does.”

“Gladio,” Aurora sighed loudly as she turned away from Gladio’s shit eating grin. “Lots of people have seen my boobs. You’re not special.”

“Hey, I’m just saying,” The Shield shrugged as he dipped his head into the waterfall. He glanced at Aurora, taking in a few of her features, namely the scars on her body. “Hey, what’s that scar on your stomach from?”

“Uh?” Aurora looked down. “Oh, that’s from the multiple surgeries I had on my uterus to try and have kids. Didn’t work,” She turned so Gladio could see her left side. “This one on my thigh is from saving Regis that one time he tried to beat the Adamantoise, and this one is from when Cor nearly sliced my arm off when I ran out of magic during a sparring match.” She pointed to a gash behind her arm. She then pointed to the stitches in her eyebrow, “and this one is from when I broke my leg and face planted into the dirt.” 

Gladio chuckled, “And that one?” He pointed to the scar on her forearm.

“Uh, I actually don’t remember,” she lied, scratching the scar. “So, what about you? Where’d that scar come from?” Aurora motioned toward Gladio’s face as she rinsed the suds from her hair.

“Eh, I was protecting Noct from this idiot a couple years back. No biggie,” Gladio replied as Aurora passed him the shampoo bottle. “Hey, you’ve got a great ass, by the way.”

Aurora laughed out loud. “Thanks. Remnants of my chubby days.”

“I’m sure Iggy will love it,” Gladio winked.

“Stop bringing him up,” Aurora whined. 

“Rory!” A voice called. The duo turned to see Prompto walking up to the waterfall, his attention focused on the camera in his hands, sifting through the pictures. “Rory, can you come with me to the Bandersnatch area to take some pics and--” The blonde stopped when he looked up and saw his companions were naked. Aurora instinctively hid her boobs from view for the boy’s sake but it was a little too late as Prompto turned into a blushing mess. “Gah! Y-y-y-you’re naked! Oh gosh, sorry! I didn’t mean to see that, I just--”  _ click _ “GAH! Wait, no!”

“Prom, did you just take a picture!?” Aurora was getting embarrassed.

“I didn’t mean to! Ahhhh! I’ll delete it!” Prompto fumbled with his camera but kept accidentally pressing all the wrong buttons and taking more pictures. “No, no, no!”

“Get my good side,” Gladio smirked as he flexed, fully displaying himself. “That makes two people who’ve seen your tits before your soulmate, Rore.”

“ _ Bite me _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, poor baby Prompto. So flustered.  
> I put a little Kimya cameo because why not, right?
> 
> I'm going to try keeping a consistent schedule of posting on Fridays.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions rise as a group of 5 becomes 4, an ex mercenary joins the group, and misunderstandings cause jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's tension time, baby!

“Prince Noctis!” Talcott beamed as the group walked up to the house in Cape Caem. “And Kind Aurora!”

“Hey kiddo,” Aurora smiled as she ruffled Talcott’s hair.

“Aurora,” A voice called from inside the house. The healer recognized the voice as her friend Monica. Aurora went inside as Talcott talked with the boys about getting some mythril Cindy had mentioned was needed for the boat. Monica smiled softly as Aurora approached her. “It’s good to see you again. I’ve heard whispers about you coming back.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Monica,” Aurora smiled back, giving the woman a hug. “You’ll probably be seeing a lot more of me on account of I’m aging again.”

Monica’s eyes went wide, “Truly? You’re aging again?”

“I am.”

“That’s wonderful news!” Monica hugged her again, this time squeezing a little too hard. “This is cause for celebration. My dear friend, we can grow old together.”

It was at that point that Aurora was fully aware of what it meant to be aging again and couldn’t control the tears that cascaded down her face. To be able to grow old with the friend she had made, to have them watch her age alongside them. Her heart ached at the thought. “Yes,” she sobbed. “Grow old together.”

Monica turned her attention to the door where they could hear the muffled voices of Aurora’s crew. “Sounds like you better get back out there. We’ll talk more when you have the time.”

“Thank you, Monica,” Aurora smiled before wiping the tears from her face and trotting back outside to hear the tailend of the conversation the boys were having.

“Do your thing. Not like we can stop you anyways,” Noctis said as he crossed his arms.

“You know me too well,” Gladio smiled. “See you around, guys.”

“Hey,” Aurora caught Gladio just as he was leaving. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“There’s something I gotta do, Rore.”

“Is this still about what happened at the base?”

“That feeling isn’t just gonna go away. You of all people should know that,” Gladio sighed. “Sparring with you has been great and it’s really been helping but I need to do this.”

“It’s not gonna be the same without you.”

“You got Iggy to keep you company,” Gladio winked. Aurora blushed as she turned away. “I’ll text you to keep your mind at ease, if that makes you feel any better.”

“It will. Thanks Gladio,” Aurora gave him a hug. “Good luck out there.”

“Same to you. Have fun getting that mythril.”

  
  


The group, sans Gladio, slept in the spare room. Aurora kept tossing and turning, eventually getting up to use the bathroom. Thoughts of Gladio not coming back plagued her mind. In the last 100 years of her life she had become numb to a lot of her friends dying in combat or of old age. Since she began aging, the sudden death of a friend was a very upsetting thought once more. 

She had spent nearly an hour in the bathroom collecting her thoughts and dealing with her lady problems. Her period was pretty well done but she was still having trouble getting used to using her new period cup, having to spend at least twenty minutes cleaning and reinserting it. What a pain.

She searched her face for anything that would show she was aging. There was nothing. She sighed heavily. As much as she knew she was aging, she was a little too excited to see the physical signs. A wrinkle, a grey hair, but she couldn’t find anything just yet.

A knock on the door brought her back to reality. She opened it slowly, making eye contact with Ignis on the other side. “Can I help you?”

“You’ve been gone for over an hour, I just wanted to make sure you were alright,” he stated.

“Thanks for the concern but I’m fine,” she leaned against the doorframe. “I just...have a lot on my mind. I’m worried about Gladio, y’know?”

Ignis visibly tensed at the mention of Gladio. Aurora caught it but didn’t want to say anything. “I see,” He mumbled. “Well, there’s nothing to be worried about. With all the time you two spend together, I’m sure you understand how capable he is.”

“That sounded super bitter, are you okay? Did you guys have a fight or something?” Aurora went to place a hand on Ignis’s shoulder but he recoiled. She could almost feel her heart break at the rejection.

“I’m fine,” Ignis averted his gaze. “We should get some sleep.”

As the advisor walked back to the bedroom, Aurora rubbed her temples and groaned, “What just happened?” She whispered to herself.

  
  


Once everyone was ready, the group set out to find the mythril in Steyliff Grove they needed to get the boat ready. They piled into the car and began their trip to the Vesperpool. “Went from not having enough room to having maybe a little too much,” Prompto said as he turned to see Noctis and Aurora in the back seat, Aurora now taking Gladio’s spot. 

Once in the Vesperpool, the group piled out of the car and began walking toward the grove. Prompto hopped excitedly, “So, Steyliff Grove. What exactly is it?” 

“Ruins of a civilization long past,” Ignis replied as they began to see the grove in the distance. 

“Hey, Rory,” Prompto turned to her with an excited expression. “What was the civilization like?”

“Just how old do you think I am!?” Aurora scoffed, crossing her arms. “These were still ruins when I got here.”

“Aw, lame.”

As the group got closer to the grove, they saw a familiar man waiting for them.

“Gentleman, what a pleasant surprise,” Ardyn smirked.

“Uhg, told you he’d be waiting,” Prompto groaned.

“With my Imperial friends, no less.”

“Splendid.” Ignis ran his hand down his face.

“But fear not. I’ll put in a good word.” Ardyn drawled as he began walking. “Well, come along then. Don’t stray too far! Lest you get left behind. And surely you’d rather avoid unnecessary scuffles, seeing as you’re now a trio,” he paused for a moment to gauge the boy's reactions. “Oh dear. Touchy subject?”

“One we won’t discuss with you,” Ignis stated quickly.

“Ahem,” Aurora grumbled. Ardyn turned to meet her unhappy gaze.

“My apologies, my dear, I seem to have forgotten you,” He smiled. “I had no idea you would still be with these fine young men. You seem the type to...wander. The wind stays naught in one place, one would surmise.”

“Your assumptions on my behaviour are unwelcome at its friendliest, Chancellor,” Aurora shot at him. Ardyn merely hummed. 

“Now, let’s discuss why you’re here,” he hummed again. “Hmm, it can’t be archeology. Mythril, perhaps?”

“This guy’s reading our thoughts!” Prompto said warily.

“Mythril. It’s a precious resource, you see. We can’t just let  _ anyone _ get their hands one it,” Ardyn explained.

“But you’ll help us get ours on it, right?” Noctis sounded bored and annoyed.

Ardyn gasped, feigning shock.  _ The diva _ . “I never said that!” He uttered.

“Of course you didn’t,” Prompto rolled his eyes.

“Where is the fun in that? I thought you’d rather dig it up yourselves,” Ardyn chided as the group continued to follow him. 

There was a lul in the conversation, Ignis noticed Aurora’s scowl. “What are you thinking about?” He asked her quietly, as to not let Ardyn hear.

“I don’t trust him,” she whispered.

“No one does but we don’t have much choice.”

“He’s bad news but I can’t for the life of me remember why…” Aurora played with her hair as she tried to remember any details she learned about the ‘man of no consequence’. 

He stopped walking and turned to the group, “Fear not, I’ll be but a moment.”

“A moment doing what?” Prompto asked.

“Beats me.” Noctis shrugged as Ardyn talked to the woman at the entrance to the ruins.

“All clear! Go ahead,” Ardyn waved to the group. Noctis approached Ardyn once again. “Alas, the ever weary military. They’ll not abide visitors left unattended. I must prevail upon you to accept an escort. I’ve seen to everything.”

The group walked up to the woman Ardyn motioned toward. She was a tall woman with a stern gaze and beautiful silver hair. Aurora felt threatened merely standing in her presence. 

“So, you’re the ‘new recruits’ they sent over for ‘special training’,” the woman raised an eyebrow at the boys. “Nice cover, runaway prince.”

“Thanks!” Prompto smiled.

“Oh, come on!” Noctis smacked him.

“At ease ‘recruits’,” the woman sighed. “There’s nothing in it for this ex mercenary to turn you in. Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Show?” Prompto asked.

“Forgot about your ‘training’?” The woman asked. “Well, I’m being paid to escort you. Just watch yourselves in there.”

“I trust you’ll be civil,” Ardyn drawled from behind the group. “Commodore Aranea Highwind, I leave them to you.”

"And who is this little chipmunk?" Aranea looked down at Aurora. As much as the healer wanted to sneer at the taller woman, she opted to smile instead. A good first impression can do wonders, right? 

"My name is Aurora."

The ex mercenary didn’t even give her so much as a polite smile. The nerve.

Aranea turned to Prompto, who had already walked past her to get into the grove. “Good luck getting in at this hour, it only opens at night,” she explained.

“But it’s morning. What the heck are we supposed to do until then?” Prompto sighed loudly.

“There’s a haven not far. We’ll make camp for now,” Ignis said as he started walking in the direction of the haven. 

The walk to the haven was quiet until the group started to hear something they hadn’t heard before. Prompto’s head darted around, trying to find the source of the sound until his eyes fell on Ignis and stared.

“Are you alright, Prompto?” Ignis mused as the younger blonde stared at him.

“Were...were you  _ humming _ ?” Prompto was in disbelief. 

“Hmm, I suppose I was,” Ignis smiled. The younger man narrowed his eyes.

“Who are you and what have you done with Iggy?” 

“My lips are sealed,” Ignis smiled, his tone amused. Aurora simply kept quiet, her lips pressed tightly together. What’s he so happy about?

  
  


“Are you allergic to anything?” Ignis asked as he got the camp kitchen set up. 

Aurora thought he was talking to her and looked up from pitching the tent to speak, “You already know I’m--” but was cut off.

“That’s sweet of you to ask,” Aranea replied to Ignis. “But no.”

The healer frowned, her face heating up but not out of embarrassment. 

_ Never asked me that before... _

The rest of the day was spent in a similar fashion. Ignis would make smalltalk with Aranea while Aurora sat across the haven frowning and glaring daggers at the silver haired woman.

“Y’know,” Prompto chided as he came up from behind Aurora. “If you keep frowning like that, your face is gonna stay that way.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Aurora grumbled, her glare never wavering from Aranea.

“Right, right,” Prompto leaned his body weight on the back of Aurora’s chair. “So, you don’t know that you’re being, like, totally obvious right now?”

“Young man, if you so much as utter another word, I will fling your skinny ass across the Vesperpool, so help me.”

“Whoa, mama Rory came out with a vengeance,” Noctis laughed as he entered the scene, sitting next to Aurora. “What’s with Specs and Aranea?”

“We’d all love to know,” Aurora growled. She got up from her chair, finally prying her eyes away from the duo across the haven. “I’m going for a walk by the water to clear my head.”

The healer walked along the water until she found a fishing spot. She decided it was a good place to stop, sitting with her feet in the water on the dock. Bringing her phone up to her ear, she waited for the Shield to pick up. He could help her through these stupid emotions. 

_ Ringing...ringing...answering machine. _

She tried again.

_ Ringing...ringing...answering machine. _

With a heavy sigh, she decided to leave a message.

“Hey Gladio,” she began quietly. “You’re the only one I can really talk to about this. I, uh...fuck this is so stupid. I, uh, I think I’m jealous? Ignis has been chatting with our escort into the mines and I just can’t help this...this lump I feel in the pit of my stomach. It’s so juvenile and I don’t know what to do. I’m kinda scared of doing something dumb and--”

_ Click _

Aurora heard the snap of a camera and turned her head to find Prompto and Noctis at the end of the dock. Noctis was decked out, once again, in his fishing gear with the widest grin she’d ever seen. “Gotta go, bye.” She hung up, hoping the boys didn’t hear anything she just said. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Fishing. Duh.” Noctis lifted his box of fishing tackles. “We were worried about you and decided to come find you and drag you fishing.”

“You already being here was just a bonus,” Prompto smiled as he took another picture of Aurora.

Aurora huffed through her nose with a smile. “I guess I could use the company.”

The group sat in relative silence as Noctis busied himself with fishing, every so often reeling in a fish and throwing it in the cooler he brought. Prompto joined Aurora as he sat beside her, feet soaking in the water. 

The healer leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. The blonde reciprocated the affection and placed his arm around her shoulders. “I didn’t think adults got embarrassed over a crush,” he whispered.

Aurora laughed quietly, “I guess you have a lot to learn about being an adult, then.”

“You have no idea,” he chuckled. “I, uh, I won’t tell anyone, by the way.”

“I appreciate that, thank you,” Aurora lifted her head from his shoulder. “I should just stop fighting it at this point. I’m causing myself unneeded stress. My hair is starting to fall out.” She gripped her hair and pulled out a decent amount of loose hairs, letting them fall in the water.

Prompto poked at her eyebrow, “Hey, shouldn’t this have healed by now?”

“Hm? Oh, right. The stitches,” Aurora ran her fingers over the thread. “Ignis was supposed to take them out for me today but that’s obviously not happening. I’ll have to do it myself. Unless you want to help me?”

“Right now?” Prompto shifted. Aurora nodded. “A-ah, okay. Just tell me what to do.”

Aurora walked him through the steps of removing the stitches as slowly as she could to make sure he didn’t make a mistake. “Do you think the hair on your eyebrow is gonna grow back?” The blonde asked as he removed the last stitch.

“Probably not if it left a scar,” she replied as she brought up her phone’s camera to look at herself in selfie mode. There was a fairly noticeable scar going up from her eyebrow to her hairline. Prompto peeked his head into the shot and smiled brightly, posing for a photo. Aurora laughed as she snapped a pic.

“Hey, wanna make Iggy jealous?” Prompto giggled as he brought up his camera. Before Aurora could ask how he could possibly do that, the freckled ray of sunshine hooked his arm around her and brought her as close as he possibly could.

“Mwah!” He gave the healer a big kiss on the cheek as he snapped a photo.

“Ew! Cooties!” Aurora laughed. “Ahh! It burns!”

Prompto looked down at the picture and smiled, “This is great! But, y’know,” he filtered through some of his older photos and stopped at a black and white one. “I could always show him this one.”

Looking at the picture, Aurora blushed. It was a picture that was taken in Malmalam Thicket. After much consideration and persuasion from Gladio, Aurora agreed to take a very risque photo with him while they were naked. Aurora was pushed with her back up against the wall of rock, their bodies flush against each other, and Aurora’s leg lifted and hooking around Gladio’s hip. Gladio’s hand was bracing her leg, while the other was lifting her chin to meet his sultry gaze, their faces only inches away. Any intimate parts of their bodies were tastefully obscured. It almost looked like the cover of a cheesy romance novel but was a bit too...sexual.

“I dunno,” Aurora shifted uncomfortably. “That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

“If you say so,” Prompto shrugged. “Honestly, I think it’s some of my best work.”

“Prompto’s right, it’s a great photo,” Noctis chimed in as he threw another fish into the cooler. 

“Oh no, you saw it?”

“Yeah, it looks like you and Gladio have good chemistry,” Noctis teased. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you guys have been having fun in secret.”

“We’re not fucking, oh my gods,” Aurora covered her face, mortified.

“Hey, so…” Prompto began quietly, “If you and Iggy start dating but he’s not your soulmate, what’s gonna happen?”

That’s right. Aurora never told the boys who her soulmate is. “I’ll, uh, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it,” Aurora said as she lifted her head from her hands. “In the meantime, you guys can mutter amongst yourselves about who you think my soulmate could be.”

“Gladio,” Noctis smirked. “‘Cause you two are obviously canoodling in secret.”

Aurora splashed him with water.

Once Aurora and the boys were back at the haven, Prompto immediately skipped over to Ignis “Hey, Iggy, check out this awesome pic I got at the fishing spot!” Prompto smiled as he showcased the photo. Ignis made a half assed attempt at quickly glancing at the photo while still chatting with Aranea but did a relatively animated double take once he registered what the picture was. “Do you like it? Because I  _ love _ it!”

“It’s...very nice, Prompto,” Ignis coughed, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. 

“Huh.” Aurora was surprised at his reaction. Maybe there was something there after all…? Her hopeful feeling fell when the advisor shooed Prompto away to continue his conversation with the ex-mercenary. 

“I tried,” Prompto whispered with a shrug.

“Though unnecessary, I appreciate the effort,” Aurora smiled at the boy before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Noctis noticed how Ignis side eyed them with a frown. 

“Aw, shucks.” Prompto blushed and scratched the back of his neck.

“Bug,” Ignis got out of his chair to get a good look at the side of Aurora’s face. “Your stitches were removed?”

“Yeah, you were too busy entertaining our escort to care so I had to do it myself,” she spat.

“Oof,” Prompto placed a hand over his chest. “I can feel the shade from here. Intense stuff!”

“Is there a reason you’re so cross with me?”

Aurora pressed her lips together in a thin line, not wanting to start a fight. “I’d hope you’d be able to figure it out,” Aurora walked past him and into the tent. “I’m taking a nap.”

Ignis sighed as he turned to the boys. “Do either of you know what’s wrong?”

“Nope, not a thing,” Prompto replied quickly as he pulled out his phone, “Hey, Noct! Let’s play King’s Knight!”


	20. Chapter 20

“Okay, who’s ready to mine for some mythril?” Aurora bellowed as she emerged from the tent with a stretch. The sun was finally beginning to set and it would be dark by the time they reached the grove.

"Is that what you're wearing, hun? You might want to change," Aranea said as she raised an eyebrow at the healer. Aurora looked down at her clothes. They were the same as usual, a plain black tank top, baggy harem pants that cinched at the bottom, and her kimono cardigan. She looked around at the boys, as if asking them to back her up, but they didn't say anything. Noctis merely shrugged. Aranea continued, "Baggy clothes will only get in the way."

"She's right, Aurora," Ignis stated. 

"You're taking  _ her _ side?" Aurora whispered harshly. “My clothing has never been a problem before, why is it a problem now?”

"I'm only thinking of your safety, I assure you."

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Aurora scoffed as she started walking back to the Regalia. "I'll be back shortly."

“ _ Oooou I’m Aranea, I think I’m better than everyone because I have huge tits and beautiful features _ ,” Aurora grumbled in a high pitch mocking tone as she grabbed a couple new articles of clothing from the Regalia. “You have a useless tail made of armour and  _ I’m _ the one who has to change? I hate this so much.”

As she was rummaging through her spare bag of clothes, she noticed the lyre Ignis had given her. She stared at it for a short time, wondering if she should bring it with her. She shook her head, it was too precious to bring. She covered it with her clothes so it would stop whispering to her.  _ Let go. _

Aurora returned to the group wearing the same black tank top but different pants. They were black leggings split on the sides to reveal Aurora's bare legs. A string weaved through the open sides to keep them from being impractical. She wasn't wearing her cardigan so the dagger holsters on her arms were plainly visible. Her lyre was still lazily hanging off of her hip. "Better?"

"It'll have to do. Let's go." Aranea turned and made her way into the dungeon while the others followed close behind.

"Meh MEH meh meh," Aurora mocked her under her breath.

Ignis elbowed her, "Don't be rude."

“I’ll be as rude as I damn well please,” she spat, elbowing him back. The healer walked faster so she didn’t have to walk beside Ignis any longer than she had to.

Ignis seemed to have gotten the hint and didn’t try talking to Aurora during the walk to the grove, instead talking to Aranea or the boys.

Before they entered the grove, Prompto flipped through the pictures in his camera, “Time to bring out the big guns,” he mumbled, walking over to Ignis. “Hey, Igster, I got one more photo to show you!”

“Oh no, he’s actually going to do it,” Aurora gasped quietly.

“1000 gil says he fumbles with his glasses all embarrassed,” Noctis smirked. 

“Don’t you think he’s a little more poised than that?” Aurora huffed a laugh, crossing her arms.

“Hm?” Ignis leaned over to get a look at the picture Prompto wanted him to see. His breath caught in his throat, causing him to make a strangled squeaking sound. He coughed in an attempt to cover up the embarrassing sound, adjusting his glasses, “It’s very, um, it’s a tad inappropriate to be showing me something so...lewd in public, Prompto.” He seemed unable to stop adjusting his glasses.

Noctis smirked again as he held his hand out to Aurora. She grumbled as she pulled 1000 gil from her bag and slapped it into Noctis’s waiting hand. 

“I think it’s some of my best work!” Prompto mused, looking at the photo. He turned to Aurora with a bright smile. “Rory’s such a good model.”

“Thank you, Prom.” She smiled back at the boy. “It was fun. I’d be happy to do it again sometime.”

“Hm, so quick to want to take her clothes off in front of me again,” Prompto said quietly enough that only Ignis could hear him. Almost immediately, Ignis smacked Prompto upside the head. “Ow! Hey, what gives?”

“If this is how you talk about women then I’m not surprised you’re single,” Ignis grumbled. 

“Ouch, Iggy. That hurts more than that smack to the head,” Prompto grumbled as he rubbed the area Ignis hit him. 

The advisor sighed heavily, “Forgive me. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Ah, it’s alright, Iggy.” Prompto smiled at the older blonde. He slowed his pace until he was walking beside Aurora and Noctis. He leaned closer to the healer, whispering in a very hushed tone, “Dude, he totally digs you.”

Aurora merely scoffed, unable to believe such a notion.

  
  


During their time in the grove, Aurora failed to pay any attention to what Aranea had to say. Something about how the MTs were daemons? The Empire is harvesting daemons? Eh, she didn’t care. She was too busy glaring daggers into the ex mercenary’s back. 

Against her better judgement, during a few battles against the daemons, Aurora made Aranea slip up. Accidentally tripping her, having her confusion spells hit her as well as the enemies, not healing her when she needed it. Every time she did it she cursed herself for being so petty but it never stopped her from doing it again. She was never one to be jealous in her previous relationships, it had always filled her with pride to see others fawning over her partners. 

But those weren’t her soulmates. Now that she was so close to having a soulmate again everyone around her was a threat. She grimaced. “What an ugly emotion…”

Ignis walked over to Aranea and helped her up, “Are you alright?” 

“Just chipper,” the woman grumbled, taking his hand. The ugly emotion showed its ugly face once again and the healer couldn’t control herself. 

A loud screeching of metal made everyone cover their ears and groan. They looked over at Aurora as she rubbed her daggers together. “Whoopse, my B.” The healer shrugged with no hint of remorse.

“That’s it!” The silver haired woman whipped around in an attempt to strike Aurora with her spear. Aurora was quick enough to block the oncoming attack with her daggers. 

“Whoa! Hey!” She pushed Aranea back with her blades. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Aranea huffed. “I’m not an idiot, I know you’ve been subtly trying to get me to fuck up this whole time.”

“Aurora, is that true?” Aurora looked over at Ignis to meet his disappointed gaze. When she didn’t answer he sighed, “Are you truly that petty?”

“Says the man who gave me food poisoning,” Aurora rolled her eyes. “You could have killed me, y’know?”

“So, you admit it,” Aranea smirked.

“Just keeping you on your toes, honey,” Aurora smirked back.

“Oh, please,” Aranea inched forward and lowered her voice so the boys wouldn’t hear. “I’m not encroaching on your territory, Little Chipmunk. You can relax.”

“Pardon me if I don’t believe the word of a gorgeous Femme Fatale.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Aranea smiled. “We good?”

“For now.” The two woman backed away from each other and continued on inside of the dungeon.

Ignis caught up with Aurora to walk beside her. “Care to explain what just happened?” He asked.

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Ooooo, cat fight. Mrow!” Prompto squealed from the back. 

“Hey,” Noctis tapped Aurora on the shoulder once they began walking again. “You okay?”

“Sure,” Aurora replied with a shrug. 

“I know you’re not,” Noctis sighed, scratching the back of his head. “While I’d usually not care about your sour attitude, we really need to focus in here. I’d hate to bring up any princely commands and shit but…” He trailed off.

“It’s okay to assert your authority Noct,” The healer reassured him. “I’m being a terrible companion, you have every right to tell me so. I’ll pretend to be fine until we get out of here, okay?”

“Thanks, Rory.” The raven haired prince smiled. “Hey, uh...when we’re out of here, do you think you could tell me some stories? About my father?”

“Sure, hun. I’ve got lots,” Aurora beamed. “First off, he was an ugly baby.”

Noctis couldn’t help but laugh.

“So, which one is it?” Aranea inquired while the boys walked on ahead.

“Hm?” Aurora cocked her head to the side, confused by the question.

“Which guy do you like?”

“Pffft,” Aurora snorted. “I’m not interested in any of them.”

“HA!” Aranea laughed almost sarcastically. Aurora was not pleased with her tone. “You can't be serious. You pick a fight with me because you’re  _ obviously _ threatened and you have the gall to lie to my face about not having even an interest in one of the boys? How insulting.” 

Aurora pursed her lips, “I don’t know what to tell you. I’ve never exactly been great at making friends with women. They’re devious and crafty.”

“I won’t argue with you on that front,” Aranea crossed her arms, “But that doesn't answer my question.”

“A question you will never have an answer to because I do not have an interest in anyone.”

Their conversation was cut short as they entered a large room. “Oh, spacious,” Prompto mused at the large open area. “There is soooo gonna be a big nasty here!”

“Aurora, can you stay back and keep us in top form?” Ignis asked as they walked farther into the large room.

“I can try,” Aurora readied her lyre, playing a small tune to boost their attack power. There was a loud screeching as the group looked up and saw a Quetzalcoatl perched on the upper floor. It jumped down and screeched again. “Oh, gods.”

“Let’s go!” Noctis cried as he warped to the large beast.

“Aurora, keep an eye on Noct!” Ignis instructed as he joined Noctis in fighting the large monster.

“Got it!” She readied her bow.

“You got my back?” Aranea asked as she stood beside the healer. She nodded in response. They shared a fist bump before Aranea ran up to the front lines, jumping out of the way of a lightning attack. 

The fight was going surprisingly well, Noctis was being careful for once, Aurora was on the ball with healing everyone, and Aranea was big help.

Overconfident, Aurora crept into the front line while the beast was weakened to get a good shot with her bow. She nearly got hurt as the monster swiped at her but she was prepared and jumped back as she shot another arrow.

“Aurora! You need to stay behind me,” Ignis pulled Aurora behind him with enough force that she had to hop back a couple feet to gain balance.

“Hey, come on, I’m doing well!” Aurora yelled as she readied her bow again, aiming for the large beast. Once the beast had stopped moving, being distracted by Aranea, she had a clear shot and let the arrow fly through the air. The arrow hit just below the beast’s eye, causing it to cry out. “Besides, you’re here to protect Noctis, not me.”

“I can hold my own, y’know!” Noctis called from where he was with Prompto.

“I only ask that you keep your reckless behaviour at bay,” Ignis said as he turned to face Aurora, his back now facing the action of the fight. 

“Aw, come on Iggy, I’ve lived this long without--” Aurora saw the large beast heading toward the two of them. Ignis seemed unaware of this. “LOOK OUT!” With the split second she had, Aurora shoved Ignis out of the way, leaving only her in the beast’s wake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was short but I couldn't help ending it at a cliffhanger lol


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big oof

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! A day early! This one is a bit longer since I felt bad for making the last chapter so short. Enjoy!
> 
> Warning!!  
> This chapter contains physical trauma, blood, and mentions of suicide.

Time seemed to have slowed as Aurora felt the intense impact of the Quetzalcoatl’s beak driving itself into her abdomen. The deafening crunch and piercing pain of multiple ribs breaking was almost too much as the wind was literally knocked out of her lungs. Trying to scream was a wasted effort if there was no air to scream with. 

She had no time to think about pain or breathing. She had to do something, anything to keep the beast from hurting the others. The healer was able to unclip her daggers and drive both of them into the Quetzalcoatl’s skull. It let out a horrible screech before collapsing on top of her, further crushing her chest.

Aurora had really taken breathing for granted up until that point. She wished she could taste the sweetness of oxygen in her lungs once more. But instead, she layed on the cold ground with a large monster atop her broken chest. Her empty cry for help emitting no sound, merely coughing blood as her lungs continued to fill with the thick fluid. 

Death used to be an unobtainable fairytale. A myth, even. Death meant release, a means to an end she couldn't have. Nothing was meant to last forever, except for her. She wanted to defy that and her reckless behaviour over the years reflected that. Even after learning she was aging once more, subconsciously, she  _ still  _ wanted to die. Depleting her magic, jumping into the face of danger, nearly letting Ignis kill her when he threw his dagger at her. Had she moved a couple inches toward the dagger she would have finally faced the death she desired. 

But not now.

Now she wanted to live. To grow old. But her new desire came a fraction of a second too late.

  
  


_ Is this it? Is this really how I die? _

“Aurora!” Ignis cried as the beast collapsed on top of Aurora. He scrambled to his feet and ran to her, only stopping to check if the beast was still hostile. 

It was dead. 

He shoved the beast’s head off of where Aurora was laying on the ground. She breathed in deeply but started to cough up blood. Ignis knelt down beside her to examine her wounds. There was a large wound on her stomach where the Quetzalcoatl had made contact and several small lacerations littering her abdomen and arms. 

“Noct! Grab the medical supplies!” Ignis called out.

“Right!” Noctis started running toward the duo with what supplies they had brought into the dungeon. Ignis tried lifting Aurora into a sitting position but she screeched loudly.

“Don’t touch me! Ahg, I can feel that my ribs are broken,” she tried pushing him away with her hand.

Ignis sighed. “Are you alright?”

“No,” Aurora coughed up an alarming amount of blood. Her breathing became much more laboured, her eyes widening for a moment as she realised what was happening. “I c-can’t breathe.” She looked up at him desperately. "H-hey...if I die here, I-I need to tell you--"

"You're not dying here!" He blurted, cutting her off. "I won't let that happen."

Aurora wanted to chuckle but she just coughed up more blood. "Ignis... you're…" she couldn't finish her sentence, opting to focus on her shallow breathing.

“Stay with me, Bug,” Ignis pleaded, becoming more frantic as he watched Aurora’s health rapidly decline. He lifted her shirt to get a better look at the large wound. It wasn’t prominent on the outside, merely showing signs of early bruising, but he could tell it was going to need a decent amount of attention. The hand she still had placed on Ignis’ chest slowly migrated up to his face. Her fingers trailed along his jawline affectionately before her hand fell limp in his lap. “Aurora?” He turned to face Aurora just as her eyes fluttered closed. He shook her lightly but she was unresponsive. He gripped her hand tightly, “Aurora, no…”

“Is she dead?” Prompto’s frantic voice could be heard close by, his footsteps stumbling closer. “Oh no, she can’t die! She’s part of the group now! How are we going to explain this to Gladio? Or Dino?!” 

“I need a Phoenix Down! Now!” Ignis demanded as Noctis glided to the scene. Almost immediately, Noctis placed the Phoenix Down into Ignis’ open hand. He placed the item above Aurora’s chest and let the item seep into her body. The moments that followed were the longest the boys had ever endured. 

“She...she’s not waking up,” Noctis whispered, his voice shaking. “Ignis, use another.” Noctis pulled out another Phoenix Down and placed it on Aurora’s chest but the item simply stayed where it was. 

“It won’t do any good,” Ignis stated quietly.

“Then we’ll do it the old fashioned way!” Noctis shuffled closer to Aurora and was about to start giving her CPR but Ignis pulled him away. 

“She may have a punctured lung, you could make it worse.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?!” Noctis crawled back to Aurora and shook her. “Come on, Aurora. You promised my father you would stay with me! That you would be here to protect me!”

“Noct, that’s enough!” Ignis pulled him away from Aurora’s body for a second time.

“You bastard!” Noctis summoned his sword and started hacking away at the dead Quetzalcoatl. “You did this!”

“H-hey, come on buddy,” Prompto tried to console Noctis but it was a wasted effort. 

“She was gonna tell me stories about my father,” the prince sobbed, breaking down in Prompto’s arms.

Ignis removed his glasses and covered his eyes with his hand, “Why did you have to do this, Aurora?”

He picked up her limp body and held her close, tucking a few strands of hair away from her face. It wasn’t until he saw tears fall on her face that he realised he was crying. The advisor let out a shaky breath, bringing Aurora’s face closer and pressing his forehead against hers. “It should have been me,” he sobbed. “I never got to tell you…”

“Dino will be crushed,” Prompto said quietly as he comforted a crying Noctis in his arms. His eyes were red and puffy.

Ignis hugged Aurora’s body close to him. He felt the thumping of a heartbeat growing faster and faster that wasn’t his own. He loosened his grip on Aurora to look at her and found a very wide pair of green eyes staring back at him, her face red. “Bug?” 

Aurora opened her mouth to say something but made a quick motion to roll out of Ignis’s arms and cough up another large amount of blood.

“Rory!” Prompto’s eyes lit up. “Noct, look! Rory’s alive!”

The healer groaned, wiping the blood from her chin as she looked around the room. “Did I pass out for a bit?” She asked, her voice hoarse and breathing still laboured.

Ignis sighed with relief as he wiped the tears from his eyes, “How do you feel?”

“Drowning,” Aurora coughed up more blood. “My lungs...are slowly filling up with blood.”

“Rory!” Noctis ran to her and threw his arms around her neck.

“Ooo, careful, my ribs are still broken,” Aurora whined. Noctis muttered an apology and helped to slowly get her to her feet. “My lyre...I need my lyre.”

A sharp inhale of air could be heard from Prompto, “Yeeaahhh, about that,” he lifted an item from behind his back, showcasing a broken lyre. “It kinda got crushed when the big guy fell on you.”

Aurora groaned as Prompto handed her the broken lyre. A few strings were still intact so she began to pluck away at them. While the song was not the best thing the group had heard it seemed to be doing the trick. A faint glow enveloped Aurora for only a few moments before the last of the strings broke. She took her first full lungful of air since being crushed and it felt wonderful but only for a moment before going into a small coughing fit. “That’s all I can do for now. I stopped the bleeding and healed my lungs. The ribs can wait,” she looked down at the sorry state of her lyre, “I can fix this when we get back to Lestallum. An Elixir will have to do until then.”

“You’re sure you’re alright? You don’t require any immediate medical attention?” Ignis asked. Aurora shook her head. “Alright, then I have something to say,” he cleared his throat. “What the bloody hell were you thinking?!” Aurora flinched at his words.

“Ignis, calm down.” Noctis tried to intervene but Ignis kept going. 

“What you did was reckless and irresponsible. I told you to stay behind me and to keep away from immediate danger. You know your role when it comes to combat and you completely ignored it and for what? Because you were ‘doing well’?” Aurora was silent through the whole lecture, taking everything Ignis screamed at her. She knew she deserved it but her eyes began to water despite herself. “I can’t believe you were nearly killed protecting someone you shouldn’t have. You made a promise to your King. To your  _ friend _ . Does that mean nothing to you?”

“Dying for you is still better than dying alone in my bathtub,” Aurora wiped the blood off of her chin. “So, I guess we’re even.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Prompto cocked his head.

“Ignis, what is she talking about?” Noctis asked.

Ignis looked away, not wanting to answer the question. Aurora spoke up instead with a sigh that ended with her coughing more blood, “You two may as well be in the know,” she paused to cough again. “The night Ignis showed up on my doorstep, when he was separated from you guys...I was about to kill myself.”

“ _ What? _ ” Prompto covered his mouth. “Why would you do that?”

“I can’t die of old age, you boys know that. I had to...take matters into my own hands if I ever wanted things to end. Ignis is the reason I’m alive today, the reason I knew that the King was killed, and how I was able to find Noctis,” Aurora explained. Ignis just gave her a disappointed look. “I’m sorry, Ignis.”

“Let’s just get the Mythril and leave,” Ignis mumbled as he started to walk away.

As the group made their way out of the dungeon, Aurora was having trouble walking. She stumbled a few times and the pain in her ribcage was sometimes too much to handle.

“Here,” Aranea helped support Aurora by her waist being careful not to touch her ribs. “I got you.”

“Thank you, Aranea.”

“So, you’re no spring Chocobo, huh?” Aranea smirked. “That’s one hell of a face lift.”

Aurora tried to laugh but it came out as a pained wheeze and more coughing. “Yeah, well, I don’t act like it. I still have to get chewed out by the young folk every now and then for my ‘reckless behaviour’.”

“Well, guess I have my answer,” Aranea hummed, harking back to their past conversation. Aurora visibly blushed.

  
  


In Lestallum, Aurora layed in bed at the hotel fiddling with her broken lyre. The boys were off talking to a woman named Holly about getting the Mythril they were able to scrounge up, get refined. She was almost done with replacing the strings when she got a call on her phone.

She picked up the phone to see Dino’s name pop up accompanied by a picture of him when he was still a baby. She swiped to pick up the call and placed the phone between her ear and shoulder to continue working, “Hello?”

“Gran! Finally, I’ve been tryna call yah for days,” Dino said from the other end of the call. “Where’ve yah been?”

“Uhhh,” Aurora tried to think of a way to explain where she was without worrying him. “I’ve been doing Princely things. You know, fetching things.”

“Sounds about right. Anyway, are you anywhere near Lestallum? Last time we talked you told me that’s where you’s guys were going to be.”

“Yeah, actually, I’m currently in a hotel in Lestallum--ow fuck--” Aurora sliced her finger while being distracted by the conversation. She put her finger in her mouth to lap up some of the blood, “The boyths ah wokin on thom thtuff heh.”

“Heh? I didn’t catch that last part.”

Aurora took her finger out of her mouth and repeated, “The boys are working on some stuff here.”

“Great! I sent a little something for that Cris guy. Should be at that hotel of yours soon,” There was no mistaking the pride in Dino’s voice as he spoke. “Some of my finest work. Enhances magic like you wouldn’t believe.”

“You made him something?” Aurora asked as she started to pluck at the new strings of her lyre. They broke. She groaned silently as her ribs throbbed.

“Yeh, it’s made of black gold and accented with this blue fire opal. Real nice.”

“Hang on, I’ll go check the front desk,” with whatever energy she could muster, Aurora hopped off of the bed and headed down to the front desk. She smiled at the man at the desk, “Excuse me, was there a package left for me? Aurora Denond.”

“Ah, Ms. Denond,” the man shuffled around behind the desk and pulled out a little box. “Here you are.”

“Thank you very much,” she made her way back to the hotel room where she left Dino on hold. She picked up her phone, “Hey, I got the box.”

“Perfect! Open it!”

Aurora complied and opened the little box. Inside was the item Dino had described: a beautiful ring made of black gold and accented with blue fire opal. The top of the ring looked as if it split between the black gold and a strip of fire opal, intertwining with each other. Aurora almost wanted to keep it for herself knowing how beautiful it was and that it could enhance her magic significantly. “Dino, it’s beautiful,” she mused. “Honestly, I’m a little jealous.”

“Don’t worry, there’s something in there for you, too,” Dino chided from the other end of the call. Aurora knitted her brow in confusion before rummaging through the box to find the second item. She pulled out a hairpin made of black gold and adorned with the same blue fire opal at the end. “What do you think?”

“By the Gods, Dino, I don’t know what to say,” Aurora was nearly in tears by how beautiful the item was.

“It’s my thanks for promising to stick around for a bit. Tell that Cris guy I’m grateful for him saving my Gran’s life, got it?” Dino huffed a laugh.

“Right...sticking around,” Aurora slouched at the mention of her promise and the events that transpired only a day ago. She held back more tears, this time ones that were full of guilt. She sniffed back her tears before speaking again, “Yeah, I’ll tell him.”

“I love you,” Dino hummed. “Come visit soon, okay?”

“Y-yeah, I will. I love you, too.” 

Aurora hung up the phone and fell back onto the bed, covering her face with her hands. “I’m such a fucking idiot,” she mumbled. She let out a loud painful groan before sitting back up and hopping off the bed. 

She took a quick look at herself in the mirror. Most of the scrapes and scratches that littered her body we're very minor but a large and ugly bruise could be seen creeping its way up her chest from where her tank top couldn't cover. She lifted her shirt and let out another groan. The bruise covered her entire rib cage, stopping just above her belly button. It looked like a Rorschach painting. A big black blob that...kinda looked like a butterfly? A squished butterfly. She sighed before making her way to the door.

She stopped herself from exiting the room, looking back at the table in her room where the ornate lyre sat. She walked over to it, letting her fingers dance across the engravings.

_ Let go. _

She took the broken lyre from her hip and stared down at it. “Is it finally time for you to retire?” She asked it. The lyre said nothing in return.

Placing the old lyre down in her bag, she picked up the ornate one and plucked at a few of the strings. The sound was the same. Beautiful. She played a small tune to finally heal her ribs and sighed with relief.

“Okay,” She breathed in deeply, hooking the new lyre to the holster on her hip. “Time to go.”

Aurora knew the boys would be around the factory so she slowly made her way over to it. Dragging her feet, she tried coming up with a way to apologize to Ignis. Nothing she could say would ever express how dumb she had been and she nearly turned back a few times with that in mind but steeled her resolve and kept going. 

Once at the factory gates, Aurora could only see Prompto and Ignis with Holly but no Noctis. Prompto turned around at the sound of someone coming toward them and smiled brightly, “Hey Rory! How’re you feeling?”

“Much better. I was able to patch up my ribs,” Aurora pat her ribcage only to double over in pain, “Oof, the bruising is still a little sensitive, though.”

“Glad to see you’re doing better,” Ignis mumbled, not making eye contact. Aurora winced at the harsh cut of his words.

“Um, Ignis, can I talk to you privately?” Aurora asked quietly. Ignis glanced at Aurora with his discontented gaze. “...please?”

“Fine,” He sighed. “We’ll only be a moment, Prompto.”

“Cool cool, I’ll just be here with Holly.”

Ignis followed Aurora down an unoccupied street before she turned to face him again. His arms were crossed in a defensive manner. “So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Aurora took a deep breath before speaking, “I wanted to apologise for my, um, reckless behaviour. I wasn’t thinking.”

“That always seems to be the case, doesn’t it?”

“Hey, buddy, I’m trying to give you a sincere apology here!” Aurora spat. “Do you have to be so nasty about it?”

“Yes, because you weren’t thinking of anyone but yourself!” Ignis raised his voice for a moment before taking a breath to calm down. “Aurora, what happened in the grove was entirely preventable and you made everyone worry about you.”

“Is it so wrong of me to want to save you? Why are you so angry with me?”

Without a word, Ignis brought Aurora into a tight hug, trying to be mindful of her ribs. It didn’t work out so well and Aurora whimpered lightly from the pain. “I’m terrified of losing you.” He whispered into her hair. 

“Hm?” Aurora asked but it was muffled by Ignis’ chest. She looked up at him with a questioning look. “I didn’t catch that.”

“We all care about you. Losing you would be devastating,” Ignis’ words made Aurora emotional and she started to tear up, hiding her face in his chest, and mumbling more half baked apologies. Ignis turned his attentioned to the hairpin poking out of Aurora’s messy bun. “That’s a lovely hairpin.”

“Oh, right,” Aurora stepped away from the embrace and rummaged through her pocket. “Here.” She took Ignis’ hand and placed a small item in it. 

Ignis examined the item, “A ring?” He asked quizzically. “Aurora, if this is your idea of a proposal, it’s quite lousy.” Aurora shoved him.

“No, you dolt!” Aurora turned away for a moment to hide a blush that started to creep its way up her neck. “Dino sent that to me to give to you. He says it’s a gift to thank you for saving my life. It enhances magic.”

“Hm, a matching set,” Ignis mused as he looked at both the ring and the hairpin. “How quaint.”

“Huh?” Aurora was confused for a moment until she realised the two items matched and she blushed even harder. She cleared her throat, “Look, if you don’t want the ring, I’ll gladly take it back,” Aurora put out her hand for Ignis to return the ring.

“No no,” Ignis closed Aurora’s open hand and slipped the ring onto the middle finger of his right hand. “It’s a lovely ring. I’ll be sure to put it to good use.”

“Am I forgiven?” Aurora gave Ignis a hopeful look.

He thought for a moment, “I’ll forgive you if you buy me a nice dessert,” he motioned around him, “Seeing as we’re already in an area with an abundance of food.”

Aurora was about to say something in retaliation but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Fair enough.”

The duo made their way back to the factory to find both Noctis and Gladio chatting with Prompto and Holly. “Gladio!” Aurora quickened her pace and jumped into Gladio’s open arms.

“Hey, Rore, good to see you,” His hug was surprisingly gentle. “Prompto told me about what happened in The Vesperpool. You okay?”

“Oh yeah, I’m just peachy,” Aurora smiled as she slid out of Gladio’s arms. “A good near death experience builds character, right?”

“It’s a bit too soon to be laughing off such a horrifying event, wouldn’t you say?” Ignis sighed as he made his way toward the group. “Good to see you Gladio. Sporting some new scars, I see.”

“You should see the other guy,” Gladio mused. 

“Thanks for clearing out those demons,” Holly thanked the boys, “Now we can get to refining that Mythril for you.”

“Well, while we’re waiting, Aurora and I are going to get something to eat,” Ignis lazily crossed his arms, “You boys can fend for yourselves this evening.”

  
  


“So,” Aurora placed her hands behind her back as the duo walked through the streets of Lestallum. “Where would you like me to buy you this nice dessert?”

“Would you care to take a drive to Galdin?” 

“Galdin? What happened to this area with an abundance of food?” Aurora placed her hands on her hips in an accusatory fashion.

“I thought about it and realised how unfair it would be to be forgiven for anything less than something extravagant,” Ignis hummed in amusement. 

“Oh, I get it,” Aurora rolled her eyes with a smirk, “You’re just going to milk this as much as possible.”

“Can you blame me?”

“I suppose I can’t,” Aurora shrugged. “Alright, let’s go.”

As Ignis and Aurora walked to where the Regalia was parked, Aurora took out her phone to text Dino.

'I'm stopping by the Quay soon, I hope you'll be around to say hello.'

Just as she sent the text, Gladio's face popped up on her phone as it buzzed. "Hello?" She answered.

"You have to tell him," Gladio stated from the other end of the call.

"No."

"Aurora," Gladio warned.

"Ignis," Aurora got Ignis' attention. "You go on ahead, I'll catch up with you after this call. I won't be long."

"Very well."

Once Ignis was barely visible, Aurora spoke, "I'm not going to tell him."

"Why the hell not? Do you know how broken up he is about what you did? The boys told me he hasn't been himself since then," there was a pause before Gladio continued, as if trying to choose his words. "You chose him over someone you swore to protect. That he's more important than the royal family. I can tell you right now he's tearing himself apart over it."

"Oh please, you weren't even there," Aurora huffed. "I gave a valid reason."

"What? That you 'owed him a life debt'? Way to pull that out of your ass," Aurora could practically hear Gladio roll his eyes. "That whole thing back at your place was happenstance."

"Yeah, well, it's not like I had a lot of time to think about it," Aurora mumbled as she rubbed her eyes. "Noctis was fine. Ignis was in danger. What self respecting person wouldn't push their friend out of danger?"

"Excuses, excuses."

"What was I supposed to do? Let him die?!"

"Yes!" There was a deafening silence after Gladio's boisterous reply. Aurora began to shake, holding back tears that threatened to fall.

"You know I can't do that...not again," her voice was a harsh whisper that grew louder the angrier she got, “And what gives you the right to tell me what I can and can’t do? Noctis was on the other end of the room. The beast was running AWAY from him! I shouldn’t be the one getting in trouble here for saving my soulmate from getting hurt or worse, killed!” Hot tears ran down her face. She tried to hold in a loud sob but it escaped before she could. 

"Look, Rore, I know it sounds harsh but Noctis should be your first priority. Whether or not that situation in the grove called for it, this should be your wake-up call. You swore a damn oath to protect this kid and that's exactly what you're going to do," Gladio's tone was stern as he lectured her but it slowly softened, "I know you love him and I know it hurts to put him second, but the world doesn't revolve around your love life."

"Right... I'm sorry."

"It's fine...that being said, you still need to apologize to Iggy properly. You need to explain your actions," there was a faint amused lilt in his voice.

"Is this really going to make him feel better?" Aurora suddenly felt nervous. She wasn't prepared for the sudden change in emotion and her voice cracked and squeaked. "What if it just makes him feel obligated to love me? It'll be like the start of our friendship all over again. This is a bad idea."

"I don't want your excuses. I want you to tell him he's your soulmate. If you won't do it, I will. End of discussion."

With that, Gladio hung up, but not before Aurora could hear Prompto scream ‘her WHAT’ in the background. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is why you check for a pulse.   
> Also, it's funny to imagine Aranea being super awkward in the background while the boys are crying over their assumed to be dead friend. (I would also like to point out that I know a phoenix down can't bring someone back from the dead. Aurora wasn't dead fyi)


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to exposition city! We love listening to Aurora talk about her life :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What if we...talked about our feelings...at Galdin Quay.  
> Just kidding...unless...?

The duo made it to Galdin Quay just before evening. “See? I told you I could drive,” Aurora smiled triumphantly as she exited the Regalia.

“Yes, well, your age certainly shows when you’re at the wheel,” Ignis mumbled as he closed the door to the passenger seat.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Aurora puffed her cheeks.

“You could drive a little faster.”

“I don’t need any sass from you, Mister,” Aurora wiggled her finger at him as they started walking along the pier, playing up the old woman angle, “You young folk. Always in a hurry. These tired old bones can't take it!”

“Then shall I help you walk along the pier, Gran?” Ignis offered his arm to Aurora, who laughed at the name he chose to use. She took his arm with an amused huff.

“You’re being really cheeky lately and I’m not sure I appreciate it. Someone needs to teach you to respect your elders.”

They sat in the same spot they did the last time they went to The Mother of Pearl. Aurora looked through the menu leisurely, pointing at a couple things. “Do you want regular food, too?” She looked up at Ignis. “Obviously I’m paying.”

Ignis smiled, “I may take you up on that.”

“We should split some starters. These crab stuffed mushrooms look super good,” Aurora pointed to the mushrooms on Ignis’s menu.

“They have onions in them,” he warned. “Be sure to tell them you’re allergic.” 

“Mhm,” Aurora nodded as she continued perusing the menu, “I know how to look out for my allergens. I’m an old woman, remember? We were making fun of that, like, ten minutes ago.”

“You certainly don’t act your age most of the time,” the advisor chided before taking a sip of water.

“If I acted my age, I’d be in a box six feet under,” Aurora snorted. She looked up from her menu to find Ignis staring back at her with an unamused expression. “Sorry, I know you don’t like when I joke about being dead.”

“I just prefer the thought of you alive,” he sighed.

Just as they ordered their food, a loud voice pierced through the idle chatter of the restaurant.

“Well, look who decided to show up unannounced,” The amused voice came from behind Ignis. Aurora tilted to the side to look past the advisor and saw Dino trotting towards them. 

“Who taught you to lie like that? I texted you that I was coming here,” Aurora huffed.

“You didn’t tell me this fine gentleman was gonna be here,” Dino leaned his weight on the back of Ignis’ chair as he wore a wild shit eating grin. “Sporting one of the finest rings this reporter/jeweler has ever made.”

“Yes, I’m quite fond of it. Thank you, Dino,” Ignis offered his hand and Dino took it, shaking it vigorously.

“My pleasure, anything for the man who single handedly kept my Gran around for me,” Dino gave Ignis a hardy pat on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him. “Drinks are one me tonight.”

“Dino, honey, you don’t have to do that,” Aurora protested.

“Ah, ah, ah, no arguing,” Dino slid over to Aurora’s side of the table and kissed her forehead. He lowered his voice to a whisper, “Enjoy your date.”

“Oh, get out of here,” Aurora gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before shoving him. “I’ll see you later. I love you.” Dino blew a kiss before spinning on his heel and taking off.

“Where does that accent come from?” Ignis inquired as he placed his elbows on the table, folding his hands together. “It’s quite curious.”

“I don’t know. Gili raised him most of the year. I would raise him during the summers,” Aurora explained as a waiter brought a bottle of wine to the table. Ignis knitted his brow at the foreign name.

“Gili?”

Aurora’s eyebrows raised in realization as she took a sip of wine. “Oh, I guess I never mentioned her before. Gili--er, Gillian, rather--is my daughter,” Aurora explained. “But we don’t have to talk about that, I...don’t often talk about my family.”

“Why not?”

“Oh, you don’t want to hear the ramblings of an old woman. I know what that’s like. It’s agony,” Aurora waved her arms wildly to make her point. 

“I don’t know about ‘old woman’ but I would very much like to hear about the family of the lovely lady sitting across from me,” Ignis smiled.

Aurora snorted but couldn’t help the small blush that dusted her cheeks.

_ Let him in _

“Alright, well, the whole reason I’m with you guys today is because of King Mors, Noct’s grandfather,” she began as the server came with their food. “After giving up on trying to find my soulmate or going home I figured it was time to put that behind me and have a baby. To focus on something other than my love life, you know?” She popped a stuffed mushroom in her mouth. “Oh fuck, that’s so good.”

“Mhm,” Ignis nodded with a mouthful of food, writing something in his little notebook before leaning in and giving Aurora his undivided attention. 

“Well, I had picked a suitor to be the father of my child and we tried for...years. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to put two and two together; that not having a period anymore meant that I couldn’t have kids,” Aurora placed her face in her hands, slowly lifting them to weave through her hair. Ignis stayed quiet as he waited for Aurora to continue. “Once I figured that out, I broke it off with the guy I was with and spent the next 20 years just...being alone.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it. I...I needed to disappear,” Aurora shrugged. “Anyway, around the time of King Mors I decided to adopt a baby. Turns out it’s a lot more difficult to adopt when you have a...questionable record. Mors really came through for me, though. A couple that he was close to tragically died, leaving their infant daughter an orphan. He asked if I wanted to take her in and I happily agreed.”

“That’s how you adopted Gili?”

Aurora nodded, “But not long after taking her in something terrible happened…”

Ignis raised a brow, “Something terrible?”

“I assume you know at least a small amount about the Star Scourge?” She asked. Ignis nodded. “Well, I found that Gili had been infected. I tried nonstop to heal her but...nothing worked.”

“She didn’t perish, did she?” Ignis asked, shocked. Aurora smirked at his shocked expression. “Ah. I suppose that wouldn’t make sense considering she’s alive to this day. Apologies.”

“No, she didn’t die but I was sure she was going to. I was out of ideas when I asked King Mors for help. He called the oracle and she was able to purge the Star Scourge from Gili’s body. I told Mors that I owe him a great debt for saving the life of my child,” Aurora smiled at the memory. “Which brings us to the present. It’s just too bad she doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”

“Pardon?” Ignis was taken aback by Aurora’s last comment. “After all that? She doesn’t want to talk to you?”

“Funny isn’t it? I raised her as well as I could but she still resents me,” Aurora sighed but kept a smile as to not dampen the mood.

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand,” Ignis interrupts. “She resents you?”

“She learned of my desire to have biological children of my own. One day I was talking to a friend about it, how I still want a baby and want to experience pregnancy. Gili had come into the room without me knowing,” Aurora took a large sip of wine, “I tried to tell her that I love her all the same, biological or not. She is my daughter and nothing will change that...but she never got over it. Moved out at an early age and started her own family. I really fucked up.”

“I’m sorry,” He said, “That must have been hard for you.”

“Yes, well, that was years ago,” Aurora took another sip of wine. “It was my fault anyway for letting it slip that I wanted a biological kid. I’m such a dumbass and an awful parent.” She slouched in her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It also doesn’t help that I never exactly ‘grew up’.”

“Was she affected by your inability to age?”

“Yeah. Once she started aging past my physical age she started to get pretty annoyed with my antics. How I always acted so childish, always going off doing reckless things, yadda yadda,” Aurora placed her wine glass back on the table. “She saw me less and less as a mother with each passing year. The fact that Dino started to admire me and even thought of me as someone to look up to made things between us even worse. Dino somehow convinced her to let him visit me every summer, which I’m grateful for...but now Dino is creeping up on my physical age and that scares me.”

“You think he’s going to do the same thing your daughter did?”

Aurora nodded. “You asked me once, ‘why now’? Well, that was a huge factor. I wanted to die knowing Dino still looked up to me...I’m not perfect, I know this. I leave broken hearts in my wake, I get people to like me only to leave them a few years later, and I’ve become so jaded that I barely know who I am anymore...but if I could die with at least one person thinking I’m anywhere near perfect, then maybe it’ll all have been worth it.” There was a pause as Aurora took a couple deep breaths then looked back up at Ignis with a smile, “Gods, look at me bringing down the mood. Let’s not talk about me anymore.”

Ignis reached across the table and took Aurora’s hand. “I’m glad you were able to share this with me,” he smiled. Aurora could feel her face flush as her heart started beating faster. 

_ You have to tell him _

Slowly, she reached up to place her other hand on his but stopped, retracting both of her hands and stood up. 

“I, uh, I’ll be right back.”

_ Coward _

Aurora took her phone out of her pocket, immediately dialing Gladio’s number.

“Hey, what’s up?” He asked from the other end of the line. “Did you tell him yet?”

“No. I...I don’t know if I can do it,” Aurora groaned, covering her eyes with her hand.

“Remember what I told you. If you won’t do it, then I will.”

“This is bullying,” Aurora accused. “No, this is worse than bullying, this is blackmail!”

“Excuses excuses,” Gladio sighed. 

“Gladio.” Aurora was really tired of hearing him say that.

“What? The kids already know. All that’s left is Iggy,” He explained.

“We talked about this. What if he doesn’t reciprocate my feelings or the responsibility of being my soulmate?”

“Just like during our little talk, I’ll support you no matter what. Even if I have to juggle being friends with the both of you,” Aurora could almost hear him smile. 

She didn’t know what to say in response. “Gladio, I’m so scared.”

“Hey, just...just take your time. You’ll feel better when you tell him, trust me.”

“Yeah...okay. Bye Gladio.”

“You got this, Rore.”

_ It’s not so bad, right? Besides, if this fails you can always--  _ No. Aurora shook those thoughts out of her head. She wasn’t going to resort to that again. Not yet. Not when she had the Prince to protect and the promise she made to Dino. She had to stick around. She had to keep herself alive for the ones she cares about...no matter how much the rejection might hurt.

“Hey, sorry about that,” Aurora attempted a laugh as she sat back in her seat. “What were we talking about?”

“You were saying how you didn’t want to talk about yourself any longer,” Ignis replied. “Though, I would love to continue learning more if you would allow it.”

“Why the sudden interest in my life?”

“It’s not sudden, I’ve been interested since first learning of your unaging nature,” Ignis poured the last bit of wine into his glass. “Though it seems that part of your life has finally come to an end. Something I have yet to congratulate you for.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Ha ha, it’s all pretty funny, huh?” Aurora scratched her arm anxiously. Ignis noticed this and lightly kicked her shin in an attempt to get her to stop.

“There’s no need to be anxious,” Ignis laughed. “You’ll scratch a hole through your arm at that rate.” 

“Huh?” 

“You scratch your arm when you’re anxious.” Ignis pointed to Aurora’s arm that was being scratched. She bit her lip and hid her hands under her thighs.

“You’ve noticed that?” She asked quietly. Ignis nodded with a warm smile. Aurora shook away the tingly feeling in her cheeks before speaking again, “I still don’t know who it is, my soulmate.” 

_ Liar liar liar liAR LIAR LIAR. You fucking liar, why can’t you just tell him? You’re a big girl, you’re hundreds of years old, why can’t you act like an adult for once? By the Six, why is this so hard for you? _

Ignis’s voice cut through her self deprecating thoughts.

“Hmm,” he tapped his chin in thought. “That’s unfortunate. If I had to guess, I would say Gladio could be your soulmate. You two seem rather...friendly. Almost like you’re drawn to him.” There was a bit of disdain in his voice as he remembered the photo Prompto had shown him a day prior, though he would be lying if he said it didn’t stir up strange feelings within him.

“Wha--Gladio?” The arm scratching started up again. “L-like I said. I have no idea. Maybe I’m just aging like the rest of you now, wouldn’t that be a hoot?”

“Indeed,” Ignis didn’t seem amused with Aurora’s suggestion, escaping further conversation in his wine glass.

_ Just tell him you idiot _

“Hey, we should go for a walk along the beach,” she suggested.

“Yes, that sounds lovely,” Ignis smiled

The duo made their way down the pier. Aurora could see the luminous fish and smiled. “Hello again glowy fish, how’s the water today?” She asked them as she leaned against the railing of the pier.

“I’m sure they would say it’s a perfect night for swimming,” Ignis hummed. 

“Oh, really?” Aurora looked over her shoulder. “Fancy a dip, then?”

“Ladies first,” Ignis smirked as he grabbed onto Aurora, pretending to push her into the water.

“Nooo!” Out of desperation, the healer wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling into the water. It wasn’t until a few moments of Ignis laughing did she realise he was messing with her. “You’re so mean.” She mumbled from the crook of his neck. 

“Apologies,” he chuckled, rubbing her back. Aurora meant to pull away from him, she really did, but something stopped her. The smell of his cologne, the vibrations of his voice, how soft his skin felt on hers. She never wanted to leave. Just as she grazed her lips against the skin on his neck did Ignis say something. “Bug?” His voice seemed strained, as if holding something back. 

“Oops!” Aurora pulled away quickly, a prominent blush on her face. “Sorry! You just, uh, you smell nice. Let’s go to the beach.”

The energy on the beach was much the same as on the pier. Tense. 

Aurora kept glancing at Ignis but couldn’t read his features. He just kept giving a smile that wasn’t exactly happy. It wasn’t anything. His eyes told a different story and it made her nervous but she resisted the urge to scratch at her arm. 

“It’s a beautiful night. I’m gonna soak my feet a little and look for shells,” Aurora said as she walked closer to the shore.

_ Okay, you can do this. Just turn around and tell him.  _

_ Ignis, I have a confession _

_ Yeah, that’ll work. _

_ Just turn around and-- _

“Aurora, I have a confession,” Ignis said behind her as she kicked off her sandals.

_ Wait, what? _

“Is it that you’re actually an assassin and brought me here alone to murder me?” Aurora snickered as she dipped her feet into the cool water. Ignis did the same, his shoes and socks placed neatly beside her sandals by the shoreline. She was trying her hardest to be chill and prayed to the Gods that it was working. “Because that would be quite the twist in our relationship, wouldn’t you say?”

“Indeed,” Ignis smiled as he made his way to stand beside Aurora, who was ankle deep in the water. “Though, what I have to say is far more to the contrary.” 

“Hey, look,” Aurora crouched for a moment, coming back up with a smile and showcasing a small shell, “What a pretty little shell. You hardly find shells this intact around the shore.” With both her thumb and forefinger on each hand holding onto the small shell, she brought it up to Ignis for him to appreciate its beauty. He instead placed his hands gently around her wrists to lower the shell from his line of sight, looking into her eyes.

“Aurora,” Ignis spoke softly, rubbing tiny circles into her skin. “Over the past few weeks I have grown extremely fond of you. I only pray that you feel the same.”

“Ignis…” Aurora was at a loss for words. All night she had been dreading telling him her secret yet he made a confession of his fondness toward her before she had the chance. But still, nothing came out of her mouth as she stared at the man waiting for a response. 

“I would understand if you do not feel the same. We can return to our friendship like nothing happened,” Ignis let go of her wrists and took a step back, looking down at his feet in the water.

“N-no, wait!” Aurora reached out to him. Ignis looked up and made eye contact with her once again. “I have a confession of my own.”

Was it the right time? Aurora didn’t have much of a choice. Gladio was going to tell Ignis no matter what the outcome of the night would be. There was no backing out. “I, um...I lied,” she paused to read Ignis’ expression. It was one of confusion. “I lied about not knowing who my new soulmate is. I’ve known the whole time. I’ve known since the first meeting, since before my first symptoms of aging. I just...I refused to believe it. I’d been looking for Varin for so long that I created this--this delusional mindset that if my soulmate wasn’t exactly like him that it was fake and that I wouldn’t be happy.” She paused for a moment. Ignis stayed silent, staring at her with that same expression she couldn’t quite place. “Even with that in mind, I never thought it would happen again and I got scared. I got scared that they wouldn’t share the same feelings and I’d go back to unaging..I...I...I’m sorry.”

There was a pregnant pause between the two as they stared at each other. Aurora held her breath as she waited for a response from Ignis. 

“Who is it?” His voice was nothing more than a whisper. Almost like he feared that if his voice was any louder he would scare her away.

Aurora’s vision became blurry with tears, “It’s you, Ignis,” she sniffed. “You’re the one I’ve been looking for.”

“Oh, Aurora,” with one long stride Ignis bridged the gap between them, cupped Aurora’s face with his hands, and brought her in for a kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY!!!


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ~*spicy*~ chapter ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday the 13th, here's a sexy chapter lol!
> 
> Warning!  
> This chapter contains explicit sexual content and mentions of suicide

Aurora could hear her heart beating in her ears. She had forgotten how powerful of a feeling it was to be so intimately affectionate with a soulmate. The feeling enticed her to get even closer, she wrapped her arms around Ignis’s neck and kissed him back. Their tongues lightly brushed against each other between kisses.

He tasted like wine and sweets.

They parted to catch their breath, foreheads pressed together. “I’m so glad…” Aurora whispered. “That I didn’t have to confess first.”

Ignis laughed, caressing the healer’s cheeks affectionately. “I had no idea you even had a confession lined up. It was all I could think about,” he explained. “After what happened to you...it made me realise if I waited too long, I may not have had the chance to tell you. Even if I wasn’t your soulmate, it needed to be said.”

“But you are,” Aurora kissed him again. “And I’m so glad it’s you.”

“You knew, even when we were at odds?” He asked as the two stepped away from each other. Aurora nodded. “Yet, you stabbed me?”

She giggled, she had forgotten that event even happened. “You poisoned me. It was a fair trade,” she shrugged playfully. “I was heavily in denial at that point. I chalked up all these feelings as pure happenstance.”

“You mean that strange feeling when we touch?”

Aurora’s eyes widened as she looked Ignis in the eye. “You can feel that?”

“Yes, it’s quite peculiar,” he hummed. “I’ve been attempting to make excuses to be close to you so I could experience it more often. Is this what happens when one touches their soulmate?”

“Yes but it’s usually coupled with being unable to age until you feel that,” Aurora explained. 

“It's...intoxicating,” Ignis closed the gap between them, stroking Aurora’s cheek. “I wish to continue this feeling at its full potential.”

“Then maybe we should...get a hotel room?” Aurora suggested.

“Absolutely.” The advisor took her hand. “Shall we, then?”

  
  


As they walked along the pier, Aurora stopped. “Hey,” she got Ignis’s attention. He stopped to look at her. “I feel like I should explain something to you before we do this.”

“What is it?” He frowned.

“I haven’t exactly been truthful about why I’m so reckless. To you or myself,” she scratched at her arm. “I don’t even think I really thought about it until recently because it’s just always been like this but...well, you were right to take those pills away from me.”

“I don’t understand.”

“My behaviour stems from my constant need to seek death,” she said bluntly, not wanting to beat around the bush any longer. “I’ve done it for so long that it’s become part of me. I walk into traffic hoping to get hit by a car, I jump into the fray hoping to get attacked, I pop too many pills hoping that if I fall asleep I won’t ever wake up...I need you, and myself, to understand this but--but I don’t want that anymore and I want to change for my friends, my family, for Noctis...for you.”

“Bug...Aurora,” Ignis weaved a hand through her hair and kissed her forehead. “I love you. Nothing will change that.”

Aurora sobbed loudly at the sudden declaration of love, covering her face with her hands. “A-are you sure you want to say that?”

“Of course. Please look at me, darling,” he gently pulled her hands away from her face. She sniffed before looking up at Ignis. “I have seen you at your worst and still, I feel this overwhelming urge to be with you. I was a fool to look at you any other way.”

Aurora’s heart ached. It ached from the amount of affection she could hear in Ignis’s voice. That someone could go from wanting her dead to loving her so unconditionally was baffling and almost too good to be true. Almost. She wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling her anxieties melt away.

“Okay, enough stalling,” Aurora began running down the pier, Ignis in tow. “I need you as soon as possible.”

Like a couple of teenagers, the couple shuffled to the hotel as quickly as possible without trying to arouse suspicion from the restaurant goers. It was going poorly, as Coctura could see them rushing in and making a beeline for her kitchen. 

“Hello again, you two,” she chided as she placed a hand on her cheek. Aurora was about to say something snarky but noticed a glint coming from her hand. 

The loud gasp from Aurora made Ignis jump before running into the healer, who had stopped in her tracks. “He finally did it!?” She screeched. Coctura nodded with a blush. “Astrals, tell me everything! When did he do it? What kind of wedding are you planning? Can I see the ring?”

Aurora felt an arm wrap around her neck. “Aurora,” Ignis’s voice was low in her ear. “I can’t wait any longer.”

She shivered. “U-um, Coctura,” she cleared her throat. “We need a room, can you hook us up?”

The chef giggled, “Of course.”

  
  


The couple wasted no time. They entered the hotel room and Aurora was immediately pushed against a wall, Ignis’s lips on hers. She moaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Door,” she whispered, her eyes darting to the open door of their room. 

“Let them watch,” Ignis mumbled against her lips. “What better way to show the world who you belong to.” Despite herself, Aurora nearly came from his words alone. While she was never one to truly submit to the idea of belonging to someone in playful bedroom banter, there was something about the way Ignis spoke that made her weak in the knees. With a voice like that, she would gladly let him lead.

“How’d you learn to seduce women at such a young age?” She breathed as she pushed away from Ignis long enough to close and lock the door. 

Ignis came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Perhaps I’ve learned subconsciously through my many reincarnations,” he whispered as he slipped a hand down the front of the healer’s pants, pulling the fabric of her panties to the side. She mewled as he slipped a finger inside of her dripping core. “You’re already so wet for me, love,” he purred, inserting another finger. It took everything Aurora had not to cry out in pleasure as the advisor fingered her, lest the patron on the other side of the door heard her. She bit down on her fist when his thumb started to massage her clit.

“Ignis, I’m gonna cum,” she whined, pulling her head back to rest on his shoulder. Just as her orgasm washed over her, Ignis pulled Aurora into a kiss to drown out her cries of pleasure. 

“And here I thought you were fucking Gladio,” Ignis hummed to himself, slowly removing his hand from Aurora’s pants before walking to the windows and drawing the curtains closed. 

“Such language!” Aurora gasped with feigned shock as she sprawled onto the bed, reveling in the amount of space there was and the afterglow of her orgasm, “So that’s what was bothering you, huh?”

“Could you blame me?” He drawled as he crawled on top of her. 

“You really like using that phrase, don’t you?” She kissed him. “But I suppose not, considering I did the same with Aranea,” 

“While the circumstances weren’t ideal, that information does do wonders for my ego,” Ignis smirked as he slipped his hand up Aurora’s shirt, lifting it slightly. 

The healer moaned under his touch as he left small kisses near her navel. Her belly button ring sparkled in the low lamp light of the room. “Ignis,” she whined. Halfway up her torso Ignis lifted his head with a small alarmed gasp. “What? Why’d you stop?” Aurora propped herself up with her elbows.

Ignis lifted more of her tank top to reveal the large bruise that covered most of Aurora’s torso. “Gods,” he whispered.

Aurora placed a hand on his wrist to try and soothe his worries, “Hey, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

"We shouldn't be doing this."

"Wait, what?" Aurora propped herself up even more on her hands.

"Not when you have such a large injury," Ignis began to back away. 

“Ignis, please,” Aurora whined, climbing on top of him. “I need you.”

“Aurora,” Ignis whispered as Aurora began kissing his neck, moaning when she reached a sensitive spot. He grabbed a fistful of her hair as she continued leaving marks. “Aurora, you’re injured. I don’t want there to be any more complications in your healing process.” 

“Mmm, what if I told you having your cock inside me will make me feel better?” She purred in his ear, grinding against him. His grip on her hair tightened, enticing a small moan from the healer. 

In one swift motion, Ignis rolled so he was hovering overtop of her. “Yes, that would help sway my opinion.”

“You won’t hurt me, I promise,” she whispered, reaching up to pet his hair lovingly. “I just want to be as close to you as possible.”

“Forgive my hesitation,” Ignis sighed as he trailed his fingers up her chest. “It’s quite jarring to see such a large bruise. Your claims to it looking worse than it feels seems...fabricated.”

“Are you accusing me of slander?” Aurora teased with a smile. 

Ignis shrugged, “If the shoe fits.”

She rolled her eyes as she pushed herself into a sitting position, “I’ll have you know I’m the best healer on Eos.” She crossed her arms over her body to lift her tank top over her head, revealing her bare chest. 

Ignis raised an eyebrow, “No bra?”

“With tender ribs? No way,” Aurora looked down at her chest to see the bruising that crept its way up her boobs. “Hmm...Sorry the first time you’re seeing them is like this.” 

Slowly, Ignis reached out to cup one of her breasts, being careful not to squeeze too harshly. “They’re perfect.”

“Oh, you liar.”

“Alright, they’re hideous. Horrendous. Shame on you for having them.”

Aurora giggled so much she snorted. “Alright, I asked for that.” 

Ignis kissed her, “Perhaps you should learn to take a compliment.”

“Well, _ perhaps _ you shouldn’t lie to my face, Crista.”

“Now who would lie about perfection,” he hummed against her lips.

“Speaking of perfection,” Aurora started as she slipped his suspenders off of his shoulders. “Take your clothes off.”

“As you wish, Darling,” Ignis complied, shuffling off of the bed to begin undressing.

Watching Ignis take his clothes off was quite a show for the healer. The way he slowly unbuttoned his shirt while keeping eye contact practically had her drooling and he wasn’t even naked yet. Undressing his lower half wasn’t any faster, he even smirked when Aurora began to stir on the bed, biting her lip at the sight of his cock. Erect and already leaking with precum. 

She couldn’t even remember taking her pants off. They were nowhere to be found, gone forever. It didn’t matter to her, they were officially unneeded for the foreseeable future.

She let out a small whine as she began touching herself to the sight of him. “Fuck, you’re so hot.”

“Thank you,” Ignis smiled as he crawled back onto the bed and kissed her. “While I’m average in size, I appreciate the positive reaction.”

Aurora snorted, “Average. Yeah right,” she slowly reached out from her core and wrapped her hand around his length, gaining a small gasp from the advisor. “Don’t undersell yourself.”

“You flatter me,” he hummed before kissing her again, slipping his tongue into her mouth. Aurora whined loudly at the welcome intrusion, gripping his cock harder. Ignis groaned as he thrust into her hand, pushing her further into the bed. “Are you ready for me, Darling?” He whispered against her lips. 

She nodded vigorously, lining him up to her slick heat. “Yes. I need you inside me.”

Aurora couldn’t help the loud moan that escaped her lips as Ignis pushed into her. The feeling was so intense she nearly started weeping. Ignis wasn’t much better, letting out a loud moan of his own. Aurora had never heard him make that sound before.

Ignis covered his mouth, a blush creeping its way up his cheeks. It was a new sound for him, as well.

“You doing alright up there?” Aurora giggled, wiping away a few tears that formed despite herself. Her breathing was already laboured from the intense feeling running up her spine.

“Mhm,” Ignis slowly removed his hand from his mouth. “That was...very intense. How are you fairing?”

“I’m good but I’d be even better if you started moving,” Aurora rocked her hips up to meet his.

Ignis groaned at the friction and began rocking his hips at a slow pace, inching himself further inside of the healer with each thrust. Aurora whined when she felt him reach her deepest parts, clawing at his back to try and bring him closer.

“Fuck, Ignis!” Aurora gasped as his pace quickened, her moans growing louder. “I love how you feel inside of me.”

“Oh, love,” Ignis moaned into her ear, making sure to keep a small gap between them as to not upset her large bruise. “The sounds you make are divine.”

Feeling like she had ascended, the healer had completely lost track of time. The pleasure she was feeling was so intense. For such a mundane position, being with her soulmate made missionary fresh and exciting. How long had it been since she had made love to someone? Months? Years? A decade, even? Sure, she had a few flings with mindless sex but that didn’t matter anymore. Nothing mattered except for the incredible man above her and the immense amounts of pleasure that was being had between them. She’d stay in that moment forever if she could.

She didn’t even care how loud she was anymore. The whole world could be listening for all she cared. In fact, the thought of others hearing her pleasure was exciting. 

"I'm close," Ignis breathed into her ear, his thrusts becoming more erratic.

Aurora hooked her legs together, "Yes, baby, that's it," she purred, weaving a hand through Ignis's hair. “I want to feel you cum inside me.”

With a low groan, Ignis came inside of her, his thrusts coming to a slow halt.

They stayed like that for a moment. Ignis relaxed enough to lightly press himself against Aurora’s chest. The healer ignored the slight discomfort of her bruising in favour of wanting her lover close to her. “That was fantastic,” Aurora hummed, rubbing circles into the advisor’s back. She could feel him twitch inside of her.

“We’re not quite finished yet,” he whispered as he began rocking his hips again.

“Oh, fuck. That’s so hot,” Aurora whined, clawing at his back, feeling hot all over again.

  
  
  


Aurora woke to the sound of her phone going off. She groaned as she reached for the loud rectangle and brought it to her face. Gladio’s picture illuminated the dark space.

“Hello?” Aurora’s voice was hoarse with sleep.

“So, how’d it go last night?” Gladio asked. “Did you tell him?”

“I did,” Aurora yawned and stretched, making Ignis stir behind her. He lazily draped an arm around her wait.

“And how’d that go?”

“Hmm, I dunno,” Aurora turned to Ignis. “Ignis, how did our confessions go last night?”

“Confessions? As in more than one?” Gladio sounded surprised. 

Ignis hummed, “Are you talking to Gladio?”

“Yes I am.”

Another contented hum. “Put him on speaker, love.”

“ _ Love? _ ” Gladio nearly gasped as Aurora put him on speaker. “Sounds like everything went well, then?”

“Indeed,” Ignis yawned, uncharacteristically tired. 

“He confessed his feelings toward me before I got the chance to tell him mine,” Aurora explained as she reached a hand back to affectionately pet Ignis wherever she could reach. “And, y’know, the whole soulmate thing.”

“Good! I’m glad you idiots finally did something about those pent up feelings. It was driving me nuts,” Gladio smirked from the other end of the phone. “But you guys should probably start making your way back here. The boys are getting restless just sitting around.”

“We’ll be there before sundown,” Ignis told him.

“Sundown? It’s morning. Gonna spend the whole day fuckin’ or what?”

“While I’d say ‘use your imagination’, it appears you already have,” Ignis sighed. Aurora giggled as he took the phone from her hand. “We will see you at sundown.” 

“Bye lovebirds,” Gladio teased before Ignis hung up.

“Are we actually going to spend the whole day having sex?” Aurora rolled over to face him. “Because I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

“I could use a bit more rest first,” Ignis pulled her close. “Considering how much sleep wasn’t being had last night.”

  
  


It was already afternoon by the time they finally decided to get out of bed and put clothes on. Even more time had passed until they were looking decent and ready to leave.

“Gran!” The couple heard a bellowing voice behind them. They turned around to see Dino running along the pier to catch up. “Leavin’ without saying goodbye?”

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Aurora embraced the silver haired man. “The rest of the group needs us.”

“Well, I’m glad I caught yah before you disappeared,” he turned to Ignis, arms extended in an inviting manner. “And Cris! Good to have you in the family, Gramps!”

Ignis was visibly uncomfortable with the use of the word ‘gramps’ as he was brought into a tight embrace. “It’s Ignis,” he corrected, patting the young man on the back. 

“Gesundheit,” Dino smiled brightly at Ignis as he pulled away from the embrace, smacking his arm affectionately. “Classic Gramps!”

“Dino, honey, we really do have to go,” Aurora got her grandson’s attention in an attempt to save her lover from the awkward interaction. 

“Fine, fine. You gotta do what you gotta do,” Dino sighed and gave his grandma one last hug. “Love yah.”

“Love you, too,” Aurora poked him in the chest. “You better treat that lovely woman right!”

Dino laughed. “‘Course I will!”

  
  


“I’ll drive back,” Aurora rushed in front of Ignis and hopped into the driver’s seat. “I’ll be much more speedy this time.”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m going to regret this?” Ignis sighed as he sat in the passenger’s seat.

Aurora puffed her cheeks, “Again with the sass. Don’t you trust me?”

“I don’t trust anyone. It’s nothing personal.”

As Aurora drove, she hummed to the tune on the radio, tapping on the steering wheel. She turned to Ignis, who seemed very tense. He gripped the sides of his seat tightly. “What’s with you?” She asked, tapping his shoulder.

“Eyes on the road, both hands on the wheel!” He said through gritted teeth. “And slow down!”

“Oh, now you want me to slow down? Geez, there’s no pleasing you,” Aurora rolled her eyes as she went back to staring straight ahead. “Relax. I’ve been driving since cars were invented and haven’t died once.”

“Remember what you said last night about keeping tabs on your reckless behaviour?” Ignis asked with just a hint of sass. “I’m calling upon that now. Stop trying to kill us!”

“Fine,” Aurora slowed down, glancing at Ignis. “Hey, can we stop at my place? There’s something I have to do.”

“I don’t see why not,” Ignis shrugged as he finally got comfortable, relaxing his shoulders and released the vice grip he had on the seat.

They pulled over on the road and Aurora hopped out of the car. “You don’t even have to get out of the car if you just wanna wait here,” she offered.

“I’ll come with you, that way I can stretch my legs,” Ignis replied as he got out of the car. 

Aurora seemed much more fidgety than usual as they walked up to her cottage. Ignis turned his head to look at her but she turned away. “Uh, this is as far as you go,” she spoke softly as she looked at the ground. “I need to be alone for this. Why don’t you go inside and relax?” She handed Ignis the key to the cottage before shuffling to the backyard. 

Curiosity got the better of Ignis. Once he was inside the cottage, he wasted no time finding a window to spy on Aurora. The best vantage point was the window next to the tub. He peeked outside to find Aurora standing near a small grave.

Aurora wiped away the overgrown vines and flowers from the gravestone. The name Varin Denond could be seen. “Hi, Varin,” Aurora greeted the stone with a shaky voice. She sat down cross legged in front of the stone, fidgeting with her clothes. “I, uh, I don’t really know what to say since it turns out you were the guy I hated for a while and you’re technically alive in Ignis... But I’m aging again...I know I don’t need permission from someone who’s dead--but you’re also alive? It’s very confusing b-but I wanted to let you know that I, um, I think I’m finally ready to move on, you know?”

Aurora rummaged through her bag and pulled out her old broken lyre. “You made this for me on my birthday over 200 years ago. I almost feel like you had something to do with Ignis getting me another one on my birthday, this seems a little too familiar,” Aurora laughed to herself but couldn’t help the tears that started to fall. She sniffed and wiped her tears away. “Since you and Ignis share the same soul, I don’t really have to say goodbye but...I’ve held on a little too long.”

She placed the broken lyre against the gravestone before getting up. “It’s time to let go. Goodbye Varin.”

She turned from the grave and began walking back to the front of the house. By the time she entered the cottage, Ignis was in the kitchen. He just stared at Aurora, opening his mouth but closing it again. “You were listening, huh?” Aurora sighed, crossing her arms. 

“Apologies…” was all Ignis could say.

“It’s fine,” she looked away for a moment. “I need to start living in the present with you and not thinking about Varin. Since you two have the same soul, there’s no point in dwelling.”

“I see,” Ignis paused, choosing his words carefully. “I won’t mind if you still need time to grieve.”

Aurora smiled at him. “That means a lot to me, thank you. But I know I should really start letting go. It’s been 200 years, after all,” there was a moment of silence before Aurora spoke again. “Anyway, let’s get back to the others!”

They made it back to Lestallum with daylight to spare. “Gods, I’m so sooore,” Aurora groaned as she stretched.

“Yes, well, we didn’t do a lot of sleeping now did we?” Ignis hummed. Aurora nudged him playfully. 

“Guys? Are you here?” Aurora called as she entered the hotel room.

“Well, hey there, lovebirds,” Prompto chided, snapping a picture.

“The soulmates grace us with their presence,” Noctis smirked.

“About fuckin’ time,” Gladio laughed. “The sexual tension was killing me, it was so thick.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gladio really does speak for everyone when he says it's about fuckin' time!  
> I'm still learning how to write decent sex scenes but I liked how this one turned out and I hope you did, too!


	24. Chapter 24

The group had left Lestallum for the Chocobo Post. Aurora had expressed interest in seeing Wiz before they made plans to leave for Altissia. “I’m excited to tell him the news,” Aurora mused from the back seat. “This is the kind of news you tell someone in person, y’know?”

“Yeah, totally,” Noctis smiled as they parked and piled out of the car. 

Aurora watched as Ignis stretched. “Did you really have to wear a t-shirt instead of a collared shirt today?” She asked, looking at the hickies littering his neck.

“Figured I’d sport the new look you gave me,” he smirked. Aurora just rolled her eyes at him. 

“Speaking of bruises, how’s yours doing?” Gladio asked as the group sauntered slowly toward the Chocobo Post. 

“Better,” Aurora lifted her shirt to showcase the fading bruise. “I can wear a bra again without it hurting, so that’s good.”

“What a shame,” Gladio sighed forlornly. Ignis let out a low growl in the direction of his tattooed friend. 

“Wiz!” Aurora called out with a wave once she caught sight of her ex lover. Wiz seemed surprised and almost panicked that Aurora was there. 

“Uh, hey darlin’. I’m happy to see yah but now’s not the best time,” Wiz said in a hushed tone.

“What? Are you on a date?” Aurora joked as she tilted her head to look past him. 

“Aha, no, nothing like that,” Wiz laughed nervously. “It’s just--”

He was cut off by a loud gasp from Aurora as she stared wide eyed at a slender woman sitting at the cafe, reading a book. She had long silver hair tied into a neat bun, beautiful jewelry dangling from her ears. She didn’t look up from her book while the commotion went on not far from her.

“We should go,” Aurora backed away. Ignis came up behind her and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist.

“I’m so sorry darlin’,” Wiz whispered.

“What’s going on?” Prompto asked loudly. This, of course, is what gets the woman’s attention. She makes eye contact with Aurora and gets up.

Aurora sinks more into Ignis as the woman draws closer to the group. She stops in front of Aurora without so much as a smile. “Hello Mother.”

“WHAT?!” Prompto cried. Noctis shushed him.

Aurora swallowed thickly, “Hey Gili.”

Gili looked around the group before introducing herself. “Hello everyone, my name is Gillian Ghiranze. Aurora is my mother, as I’m sure you are aware.”

“I wasn’t,” Prompto commented. Another shushing from Noctis.

“I see you have another...toy,” Gili commented as she noticed Ignis’s arm around Aurora’s waist and the hickies that were very apparent on the man’s neck.

“Watch your mouth young lady,” Aurora narrowed her eyes, her attitude finally coming back. “This man is the reason I’m aging again. If you have nothing of value to say to me, I suggest you leave us.”

Gili was taken aback by her mother’s comment, looking back at Ignis to study his features. “Ignis Scientia, advisor to the young prince, correct?” she asked, extending her hand. “It’s a pleasure.”

“Likewise,” Ignis took her hand in a firm handshake.

Gili stepped away and turned back to Wiz. “Well, I should get going. It was good to see you again, father.”

“Anytime Chocobean,” Wiz gave Gili a hug.

Aurora averted her gaze as Gili began walking past her. She stopped. “For what it’s worth, Mother. I’m glad you’re still alive.” And with that, she left.

Aurora let out the breath she was holding in and would have collapsed had Ignis not been holding onto her. 

“Sorry darlin’, I had no idea you’d be comin’ in today,” Wiz apologized with sympathetic eyes.

“It’s okay,” Aurora rubbed her face. “You have every right to see her.”

“So, that’s Dino’s mom?” Gladio finally spoke.

“Yeah. We don’t talk,” Aurora explained. “Family drama.”

“You’re her dad?” Noctis asked Wiz.

Wiz looked at Aurora, as if asking for permission. She nodded for him to explain. “Aurora and I were a couple when she adopted Gillian. We raised her together.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet!” Prompto smiled. “Raised with chocobos. The dream!”

“Are you alright, love?” Ignis whispered into Aurora’s ear.

“Mhm, I just...I need a minute,” she replied as she scratched her arm. “That was the first time I’ve talked to my daughter in years.”

“Didn’t seem like a happy reunion,” Noctis commented with a sigh.

“Believe it or not, that was most likely the best blessing I’m ever going to get from her,” the healer huffed. “If that’s the best I can get, I won't complain.”

“Hey,” Gladio got the group’s attention as he put his phone away. “Just got word from Hunter HQ about one of the Royal Arms. They said it might be in some ruins. Costlemark Tower.”

“Sounds festive,” Noctis grumbled. 

“I’m sure it’ll be great!” Prompto reassured him with a hearty pat on the back.

“I thought we were going to Altissia after this,” Aurora began to pout. 

“Once we find the royal arm, we’ll make our way to Altissia,” Ignis reassured her, his grip on her tightening for a moment. 

“Fine. Let me just have a chat with Wiz before we leave, okay?” 

“Sure, take your time,” Noctis urged her. 

“Howdy, Darlin’,” Wiz smiled brightly. “You obviously have somethin’ important to say if you made the effort to come see me.”

“Yeah. I wanted to tell you the good news,” Aurora smiled but her eyes didn’t, which concerned Wiz. “I found my soulmate. I’m aging.”

Wiz pulled her into a tight embrace. Aurora stifled a whine from the painful bruise on her body being disturbed. “Congrats Aurora. I always knew you’d find your special someone.” Aurora was silent but Wiz could tell there was something on her mind. “Speak up, Darlin’. I know you wanna say something.”

“I feel guilty.”

“Why’s that, now?”

“I wasted so much of your life.”

Wiz let out a hardy laugh. “Wasted? Darlin’, you didn’t waste a thing. I got to experience havin’ and raisin’ a family. I knew what I was gettin’ into the moment I started courtin’ you all those years ago,” he pat her shoulder. “I knew one day you’d have to leave. What with your promise to the King and being unable to age.”

“It doesn’t bother you? Knowing I’m with someone else?”

“Nah,” Wiz shook his head, looking over at the boys. “I’m guessing it’s the boy you brought over earlier, right? The one with glasses?” Aurora nodded. “He seems like a fine young man. So long as he makes you happy, I’ve got nothin’ to worry about. He doesn’t still think you’re a gold digger, does he?”

Aurora laughed. “No. He changed his tune once I told him about my curse of being unable to age.”

“Good. Now git goin’,” he urged Aurora back to the group. “Y’all take care and keep in touch!”

  
  


“Okay, story time,” Noctis turned to Aurora as Ignis drove them to their destination. “Gimme a dad story.”

“Hmm,” Aurora thought for a moment. “Well, this one isn’t the most...happy of the stories I can remember. But it’s pretty sweet.”

“Yay! Story time!” Prompto cheered from the front seat, turning down the radio.

“Okay, this one takes place not long after your mom passed away. Your dad actually asked me to raise you,” Aurora laughed a little. “I said no because I was still trying to get over the fact that Gili wanted nothing to do with me. So, instead, I hung around the place to teach Regis how to take care of a kid and himself.”

“How’d that go?” Gladio asked, dividing his attention between the story and the book he was reading.

“It went...okay. Regis didn’t even really know how to boil pasta so it took a lot of trial and error. I told him ‘even if you’re the king, that doesn’t excuse you from not knowing how to cook!’.”

“You could learn a thing or two from that sentiment, Noct,” Ignis commented.

“Shut it, Specs,” Noctis kicked the back of his seat. He turned back to Aurora, “What else?”

“Ummm...Oh, one day we were super drunk and we thought it would be funny if I tried creating a portal to another dimension on the roof of the Citadel with my magic,” Aurora snorted as they exited the car.

“Didn’t you say you were never able to find a way back home?” Ignis raised an eyebrow. 

“You are correct but that didn’t stop two drunk friends from playing with magic when they’re bored,” Aurora wiggled her finger at him. 

“Did it even work?”

“No but I ended up in the hospital for literally sucking out my own life force and the headlines the next day were of people thinking aliens were invading, so that was fun,” Aurora scratched at her arm. “Regis came into my room at the hospital with coffee and the newspaper and said ‘we’re never speaking of this again’.”

Noctis just giggled as they got to the ruins.

“I’m not seeing a way in,” Gladio commented as the group searched the ruins for an entrance.

“Maybe it’s like the other one we went to,” Aurora said as she picked at the dirt under her fingernails with her dagger. “Y’know how we had to go in during the evening?”

“Don’t do that,” Ignis stopped Aurora from using her dagger. “It’s dangerous.”

“She’s got a point,” Noctis nodded. “I think we should wait until nightfall.”

“Uhg, again?” Prompto joined the others with a heavy sigh. “It was so boring waiting around last time.”

“Can’t relate,” Gladio shrugged as he started for the haven not far from the tower. “I’ll be setting up camp whenever you ladies want to join me.”

Once camp was set up, everyone took to relaxing for the day. Noctis immediately hid in the tent to have a nap while Gladio and Prompto sat by the fire. “Hey big guy, what’s on your mind?” Prompto asked as he scooched closer to Gladio. He followed the larger man’s gaze and it fell on Ignis and Aurora. They were sitting at the edge of the haven, quietly singing and giggling while the healer played her ukulele. “They’re cute together, huh?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Iggy smile this much,” Gladio said as he crossed his arms. “You ever seen the guy sing before?”

“Nope, this is a first,” Prompto agreed, listening to the couple trying to get through a song but kept messing up and giggling. It was cute. “Remember when they wanted each other dead?”

“I never want to think about that again,” the shield groaned. “I’m done being the mediator. Stop bringing it up.”

“Sorry,” Prompto snorted a laugh. “Totally gonna bring it up at their wedding, though.”

  
  


Aurora looked up at the large structure as they neared the entrance once it was nightfall. It felt as though it was staring back at her. Welcoming her back for a second or third time. “Something on your mind, love?” Ignis asked her. 

“I feel...like I’ve been here before,” she replied, her eyes glued to the tower. 

“Hey, hey! An entrance! Rory was right!” Prompto’s voice could be heard as he walked down the giant stone steps that weren’t there earlier in the day. Aurora had suggested they try again at night since the structure seemed to be of similar design to the one in the Vesperpool. 

“It seems you have been here,” Ignis nudged her as he weaved their hands together, fingers intertwined. “You did tell us you’ve been around Eos twice over. It wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve explored these ruins in the process.”

“I just wish I could remember what I experienced,” she sighed. “I just remember not enjoying it.”

“Good to know you didn’t enjoy it,” Gladio said as the group walked down the large set of stairs. “Gives us a good idea of what we’re up against.”

“Unless Rory was a total noob back then,” Noctis snorted. Aurora shot him a look.

The group followed the path of the ruins, fighting small clusters of daemons on the way. They didn’t run into too much trouble until they came to a ledge an hour or two into their search.

“Whoa, long way down,” Prompto mused as he looked over the edge. 

“Careful, Prom. That ledge is broken, you could fall,” Aurora warned him.

“Ohhh nooo, I’m gonna fall,” Prompto teased as he mocked falling down. His joke turned into panic very quickly as he legitimately lost his balance and started to fall. “W-wha! I’m actually falling!!”

Aurora was quick to react, grabbing onto his flailing arm to try and pull him out of danger but the boy ended up bringing her with him. They fell down from a decent height, both landing in a less than graceful fashion. 

“Oooou hoo hoo, my back!” Prompto moaned. “Rory, are you okay?”

“Nhg.” Aurora had fallen face first, using her arms to break her fall, but that didn’t stop her chest from making an impact with the hard rock floor. Her bruising was nearly gone but she was still trying to be careful not to cause any more pain. She decided laying face first on the ground for a while was the best decision. “I’ll manage.”

“Are you two alright?” Ignis called from the ledge. Aurora lifted her head from the ground and rolled onto her back. Before she could say anything, daemons started to appear. The healer was too frazzled to get up and fight but she could hear the others jumping down and fighting for them. 

She could see Ignis standing above her, his hand outstretched. She took it. “I could have taken them by myself,” she joked as he pulled her to her feet.

“I’m sure you could have,” Ignis said with an equal amount of sass. “Were you injured?”

“No,” she lied. She could feel a dull throbbing in the side of her ribcage but didn’t deem it important enough to bring up. “How are you guys? Do you need any healing?”

“I’m just a little sore,” Prompto replied as he stretched. “Sorry for dragging you with me down here.”

“Don’t kid around next time,” Gladio said as he ruffled the blonde’s hair.

“No! My perfectly groomed hair!” He wallowed.

“Let’s find a way out,” Ignis continued to walk and find a way out. 

The group came to a long open hallway. At this point, Prompto was shamelessly complaining about the situation. “Do we have to walk? I’m tired,” he whined.

“We could camp here if you prefer.”

“Actually, not that tired!” Prompto was quick to refuse camping in such a spooky place. 

“Oh good, a bridge,” Aurora rolled her eyes as they began walking along the bridge. “This seems safe.”

“You pick now of all times to deem something as ‘unsafe’?” Gladio nudged her.

“Don’t make fun of me, I’m old,” Aurora stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Not old enough for me not to harass you!” Gladio put her in a headlock and gave her a noogie.

“AAHHH!!” She cried as Gladio dug his knuckles into her scalp. “Ignis! Help me!”

“Who am I to get between friends?” Ignis just shrugged. 

“Oooouu!” Frustrated, Aurora was able to wiggle free of Gladio’s hold and give Ignis a hardy smack. The advisor giggled playfully. 

“Uh, guys?” Prompto got everyone’s attention. They all looked in his direction to see a Yojimbo blocking the way on the bridge. 

Aurora turned to find a second Yojimbo on the other end of the bridge, effectively boxing them in. She went back to back with Ignis. “Want to make things interesting?” She asked as she readied her daggers. More daemons appeared.

“I’m listening,” the advisor summoned his weapons.

“The one with the most kills gets treated to some wine?”

“Sounds reasonable,” Ignis smirked. “Ready?”

“Ready to win,” Aurora chided. 

“Quit flirting and fight!” Gladio called out. The couple began sprinting to opposite ends of the bridge, taking out any daemons in their way. 

“10,” Ignis huffed as the last daemon was slain. 

“15!!” He heard Aurora cry out from the other end of the bridge as the second Yojimbo fell. “I’d like a nice sangria this time!”

“Your girlfriend sure is something,” Gladio laughed as Aurora continued to cackle in the background. 

“Certainly is a wild card,” Ignis smiled affectionately as he watched her run toward the rest of the group. “You did wonderful, darling.”

“Hey, thanks!” She wiped the sweat from her brow. “You’re not so bad, yourself.”

  
  


With her guitar in hand, Aurora played a happy tune as they continued their trek down the dungeon. “Could you play something a little less...meme-ish?” Prompto asked.

“Like this?” She began playing Take on Me.

“I said LESS meme-ish!”

“Alright, that’s enough music for now,” Ignis sighed, taking the guitar and placing it back in the armiger. “We’re nearing the end.”

“Hmm, big open space, nothing here, time to go home guys!” Prompto stated with a smile.

“Not so fast,” Gladio stopped him from leaving.

“It’s really bugging me how familiar this all is,” Aurora said as she kicked a rock. “I was definitely here before.”

“Feel free to explore. Perhaps that will jog your memory,” Ignis suggested. 

“Hey guys,” Noctis called. “What do you think this is?”

The others walked over to him and examined the part of the floor that was different from the rest. It was uneven, lighter in colour, and large enough for the whole group to stand on it. Noctis stepped right in the middle and one of the uneven parts of the floor sunk with the weight of his foot.

The small part of the floor rumbled and began to descend. “The floor! It’s moving!” Noctis gasped in surprise

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What should we do?” Prompto asked in a panic.

“Hell if I know.” Noctis looked around as the floor they were standing on continued to descend. 

Once the floor has stopped descending Aurora plastered herself to the wall, feeling uncharacteristically afraid of the current situation. “I remember now!” She cried with an anxiety riddled tone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out Aurora has history with this terrible dungeon.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aurora relives one of the more traumatic events of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is LONG and I didn't even do as much detail as I wanted. But it was already super long and I needed to cut whatever was unimportant.   
> It's also pretty heavy in terms of the topics that are brought up so be mindful of that.  
> Aurora usually shows signs of her waning mental health in every chapter but this one gets cranked up to 11.
> 
> WARNING!  
> This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence, blood, and gore, sexual assault, death of a minor character, and episodes of PTSD

“You remember?” Gladio cocked his head. 

“I...I was here years ago. I was invited by a few of hunters to be the medic of the group,” Aurora ran her hands down her face and tried to keep her breathing steady.

But she snapped.

(Flashback)

“So, who did you say we were rescuing?” Aurora asked as she adjusted the straps of her backpack. Her and a group of four men walked down the spiral ramp of the ruins, being sure to keep an eye out for any daemons. 

“I don’t actually know,” replied the man with glasses. He was the one who hired her for the job. Ezma had recommended the man bring her with them. “There wasn’t too much info given about this except for that there were two or three people who came down here and haven't come back.”

The other three men were awfully quiet. Darting around and keeping one eye on Aurora at all times, as if they didn’t trust her. Aurora chose to ignore them. They made it to the end of the ramp and into the large open area. 

“What the fuck!” One of the other men exclaimed. “There’s nothing here!”

“Don’t be so upset, I’m sure there’s more to it than just an empty room,” Aurora reassured him as she began looking around.

“She’s right,” said the third man with black hair. “Chill.”

“So, Solar Wind,” the bespectacled man nudged her lightly. “See anything interesting?”

“This patch of the floor feels different,” she replied, shifting her weight from side to side on the uneven floor. “Oh, you should take this,” Aurora unraveled the Ribbon from her hair, letting it fall freely around her face, and handed it to him. “Just in case we get into any really bad scuffles, you’ll need some protection.”

“Thanks sweetheart,” the man winked, taking her Ribbon and pocketing it. 

  
  


Deeper into the ruins, the group fumbled their way through the block maze and hordes of daemons. Aurora had used a good portion of her magic to heal the others because they were way more incompitent than she had first discovered. 

“Do any of you have an antidote? I’m almost out of magic,” Aurora huffed, out of breath from fighting the daemons and being poisoned.

“You’re out of magic?” One of the guys cocked his head. “What the hell does that mean? You have your lyre.”

“I can do a bit more healing with my lyre, sure, but I’m really running low.”

“I’m not dying in here, just ditch her and get the sword!!” 

“What?” Aurora turned to the leader of the group, feeling the effects of the poison burning her body. “W-what sword?”

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he sighed, turning away from her. “We can’t bring you any further.”

“So, this isn’t a rescue mission?” She questioned. He didn’t grace her with an answer. “Hey!! I’m talking to you!”

“Just kill her and let’s go!”

“And take her lyre, we’ll need it to heal when she’s dead.”

“Fools, the lot of you,” she growled. She whipped out her daggers and readied herself to fight. 

“She said she was running low on magic. She won’t be hard to take down,” one of them sneered. He took out a gun and shot her. It took Aurora a moment to register the pain in her gut. She looked down, placing her hands near the wound, and felt the amount of blood that was gushing out of her. With fierce determination and adrenaline, she gripped her daggers and charged at the men. “Gods! She won’t quit!”

The black haired man caught her wrist just as she was about to stab him and took her dagger. Since she was gradually growing weaker from the gunshot wound, he was able to shove her against the wall, stabbing her hand with her own dagger to pin her to the wall.

“AAHHHGG!” She screamed. One of the other men took the remaining dagger and did the same. She cried out in pain as her other hand was impaled.

“Hey, why don’t we have some fun with her before she bleeds out?” The black haired man suggested, running a finger along the hem of her pants. Aurora wiggled as her heart rate increased at the implications of his words.

“Gross, she’s full of blood,” the other man scrunched his nose. 

“Your loss,” The black haired man shrugged. He looked over at his boss, who merely looked away from him. He turned back to Aurora, who was making a low humming sound with her eyes glazed over, and hooked his fingers into her pants, “This should be fun. I like ‘em loud.”

Before he could pull her pants down, Aurora reeled her head back and smashed it against his. While he was crying out in pain and distracted, she whipped her leg up and kicked him in the side of the head. 

“Holy shit!” The other man backed away as Aurora freed her right hand from the dagger that pinned her to the wall. He began running, feverishly palming at the wall on the opposite end of the small space as he looked for the switch to open a new path. 

“Fuck, let’s get out of here!” The bespectacled man urged as a new path began to form. 

“H-hey, wait for me!” The black haired man reached out as he tried stumbling to his feet but the newly freed Aurora kicked the back of his knee to keep him down. She looked up to see the others about to escape, the wall closing behind them. With all her strength, she threw one of her daggers at them.

“GAH!” She could see the dagger imbed itself into the back of the leader before the entrance closed completely, leaving Aurora alone with the black haired man. 

The man groaned as he rubbed the side of his head. He looked up and saw Aurora hovering over him. She was flexing her hand but he couldn’t see a wound anymore. He could have sworn the dagger went right through her hand to pin her against the wall. It also looked like the bullet wound in her stomach wasn’t bleeding anymore but she was in rough shape. 

“H-how are you still alive?” He asked meekly. 

“Do you know what happens to a rapist that’s greatly overpowered by their victim?” She asked, finally looking down at him, bloodied dagger dangling idly in her other hand. Her eyes that were usually big and bright were dark and half lidded.

The man swallowed hard. “Please. Please spare me.” He looked around for a way out.

Aurora crouched down, taking his chin in her hand and turning him to face her. “Look at me when I’m about to kill you.”

She slowly plunged her one remaining dagger into the man’s stomach, watching as his face contorted in pain. “N-no! Please!”

“Doesn’t feel good, does it?” She asked, twisting the dagger. “Having someone penetrate your body without consent.”

“Please, I’m sorry!” The man tried pushing Aurora away but she pushed him up against the wall.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it!!” She pulled the dagger from the man’s stomach and stabbed him again, harder. She stabbed him again and again and, when she saw he was still alive, plunged the dagger into his neck. She watched him twitch and gurgle as he bled out and slumped lifelessly to the floor. 

The glaze over the healer’s eyes slowly dissipated. Tears formed as she took in everything that had just happened. She was alone, she was poisoned, she was wounded, she was betrayed...and she was a murderer. 

She threw up. 

(end flashback)

Aurora could hear her name being yelled and the world distorted around her. Just like that, the memory dissipated and she found herself in the middle of a scene she had no idea she was a part of. Ignis held her wrists above her head tightly as she gripped her daggers, ready to attack.

With shaky hands, she let go of her daggers. The loud clang of metal filled the area and her eyes began to water. "Oh Gods," she sobbed, backing up into the wall. The healer curled into herself as she clutched her head. She couldn't bear to look at the boys after what she had almost done.

“Welp,” Gladio ran a hand through his hair. “Rore tried to kill her boyfriend and now she’s catatonic, this is a shit day.”

“Bug,” Ignis slowly approached Aurora, crouching down in front of her. “Please look at me.”

She shook her head violently. “I tried to hurt you. Don’t look at me.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You went through a traumatic experience.”

“They’re dead because of me,” she sobbed. “I know it.”

“Who? The hunters?”

Aurora nodded, “They told me they were going to come down here as a rescue mission but they lied to me.”

“Why would they lie?” Noctis sat on the floor next to her, rubbing her back.

“Because they were crooks,” the healer spat. “They came here to loot the place, heard there was a ‘cool sword’ they could sell for a pretty penny.”

“The Royal Arm.”

“Exactly,” she tilted her head back, continuing to focus on her breathing. “Once I found out their true intentions, it was too late. They had already trapped me in this maze of magic cubes. I managed to wound one of them but they still got away...I was stuck in here for days. I thought for sure that’s when I was going to die.” She hugged her knees close to her chest to try and keep from shaking but it was a wasted effort. 

Ignis sat on the opposite side of her and draped an arm around her shoulders, “It’s alright, Bug,” he whispered as she cried softly. “We won’t let that happen again.”

“So, does this mean you know how to get out of here?” Noctis asked her once she had calmed down. 

“Kinda?” She shrugged, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “There are buttons everywhere that make the cube elevator things work.”

“Like this?” Prompto asked as he pressed down on the same button Noctis had stepped on earlier. The area started moving again. “Wha!”

“I’m just…” Aurora hid her face in her arms. “I’m just gonna try not to have another mental breakdown while you guys figure it out for yourselves.” The healer was so focused on her breathing and pretending to be anywhere else but her current location that she hadn't realised that the block they were standing on was moving back into the wall. By the time she noticed, she fell and landed semi gracefully. The pain in the side of her chest throbbed at the sudden movement. “Fuck, you could have warned me.” She lightly smacked Ignis on the arm. 

“Uhg, does this maze ever end?” Prompto whined. He turned to Aurora with a smile, “Good to see you're not freaking out anymore. That’s a good sign.” The healer smiled back at him as the group continued on. The wall made way and Aurora immediately froze. She saw a slumped over body and began to shake. “Uh oh, I jinxed it,” Prompto squeaked, rubbing Aurora’s arms in a comforting manner. 

Gladio whistled, “Someone did a real number on this guy.” He took out the dagger that was poking out of the body’s neck. “Looks similar to your daggers, Rore.”

“That’s because it…” she trailed off. 

“It what?” Prompto asked, his gaze darting from the body and back to her. 

“It...it is mine,” she mumbled. The silence of the group was deafening. “I...I killed him.”

“Wow,” Gladio looked down at the dagger, suddenly feeling strange about holding it. “Why’d you do it? Because they betrayed you?”

“No,” Aurora shook her head, averting her gaze from everyone. “He was...he was going to-to touch me and-and-and use me after they pinned me to the wall. He didn’t even care that I was bleeding out and dying.” She looked at her shaky hands. For a moment they looked bloody and wounded but she shook her head and the image was gone. 

“So it was self defense,” Gladio thought out loud. 

Aurora shook her head again. “No.”

“Whaddaya mean ‘no’?”

“I could have spared him. He was pleading for his life but I ignored it and killed him anyway,” her eyes watered as she found the grooves in the stone and the dried blood from when she had been pinned to the wall. She clutched her head, her voice quiet and quivering, “I’m a murderer.”

Prompto was the first to wrap his arms around her. “Hey,” he spoke softly. “If I was there...I would have done the same.”

“Huh?” She looked up at him with tears beginning to fall. 

“I would have given that guy a piece of my mind!” He turned to the others. “Right guys?”

“Indeed,” Ignis nodded.

“If I was stuck in a room with anyone that tried to rape me I’d probably do the same,” Gladio shrugged as he wrapped him arms around her and Prompto. The others followed suit. “You’re okay, kiddo.” 

She cried in the arms of her friends. It felt safe.

  
  


Another half an hour of fumbling through the maze of moving blocks and the group made it to solid ground.

“Wait, we really made it out?” Prompto gasped. “We’re freeee!”

“That’s overdoing it a bit,” Noctis sighed as he brushed off the dirt from his clothes.

“We’re in for some trouble,” Aurora grumbled, holding onto Ignis tightly. “This area brings back no memories of relief.”

They rounded the corner and found a large empty room. “This looks inviting,” Gladio sneered. As he took a couple more steps into the room, a large Red Giant manifested along with a few Flan. “Heh, you were right, Rore.”

“I hate being right in this context,” she mumbled, plucking a string or two on her lyre. “Everyone watch out!” She shot lightning from the tips of her fingers, decimating the entire population of Flan in the room.

“Hell yeah!” Prompto cheered from the other end of the room. 

“Don’t strain yourself,” Ignis whispered in her ear. “Hang back if you can’t handle this.”

“Right,” Aurora nodded, wiping the sweat from the brow. 

The fight was surprisingly quick. Noctis and Gladio had finished the Red Giant in record time with the others hanging back and supporting. Noctis had thrown a fire spell at the daemon without much warning and Prompto was caught off guard. He went running to the healer once the fight was over.

“Ooou, owie, owie,” Prompto pouted as he showed Aurora his hand. “Rory, I burned my hand. Make it better.”

“Silly boy,” she giggled, taking his hand between her own. With a single pluck of her lyre he was healed. “There, all better. Now everyone else can have some healing.” She healed the group with a small tune but the dull pain in her side stayed. She chose to ignore it once more. She could handle a little dull pain. 

“I’m not seeing anything,” Gladio commented. Aurora groaned, letting out a few small tearless sobs. “Why’re you so upset?”

“We have to keep doing this over and over and over and over and--” she kept going.

“Iggy, do something about your girlfriend,” Gladio said as he gently pushed Aurora to Ignis. She immediately calmed down with Ignis’s embrace.

“I’ve got you,” he reassured her.

“Hey, guys?” Prompto called. “There’s a little hole over here. I think we can fit!” The group walked over to the hole as Prompto squeezed through. 

“Anything interesting?” Noctis asked once Prompto was on the other end.

“Gah! There’s a dead body in here!” 

At the mention of a dead body, Aurora pushed away from Ignis and shimmied her way into the hole. “Let me see!” She yelled. Once she was through, she stood up straight and turned to where Prompto was staring at the body.

“Do you think it was one of the guys that left you in here?” Prompto asked as he got closer. It was wearing hunter garb and held a note in its hand. The glasses they were wearing glinted in the low light of the room. “Hey, he wrote something.”

Aurora walked right up to the body and took the note from it’s long decayed hand. “Let’s see what it says.”

“Ew, you touched it.”

To the healer

I hope you’re happy. After you stabbed me the other guys left me here to die. Some healer you are, but I guess that’s what I get for hiring a so-called famous hunter. Ezma told me you were one of the best, that should have been my first clue. Now the others probably already found the sword. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m sorry. I’m sorry I got you mixed up in this, I’m sorry I let a member of my group sexually assault you, I’m sorry we tricked you, and I’m sorry for underestimating you. Guess I just didn’t think a woman could best me. I was consumed by greed.

If you find this and make it out alive, tell Ezma I’m sorry.

The last couple of sentences on the paper were written in a sloppy manner and the letter Y on the word ‘sorry’ trailed off, as if the man had died just after writing it. 

Aurora huffed a laugh. “More like sorry you got caught,” she crumpled the paper and let it drop to the floor. “I hope you rot in hell.” She shuffled closer to the body and began looting it.

“Agh! Ewww! You’re touching it again,” Prompto shivered and hopped from one foot to the other in disgust. “What are you even looking for?”

“Aha!” Aurora pulled out a Ribbon and the other dagger she had lost from the backpack the corpse was wearing. “I’ll be taking these back. Didn’t even fucking wear the Ribbon. The nerve.” She turned back to Prompto and motioned for the two of them to leave the room and join the others.

“Dude, she touched a dead body!” Prompto cried once the group was together. 

“Be careful or I’ll touch you with my dead body hands,” she wiggled her fingers at him and Prompto recoiled with a childish whine. 

“Did you find anything?” Gladio asked, trying to break the shenanigans.

“Only the guy who backstabbed me,” Aurora huffed before quietly laughing to herself, masterfully spinning her newly obtained dagger in her hand. “Though, I suppose I was the one who did the literal back stabbing. Actually-” she abruptly turned to Prompto. “Can I borrow your gun?”

“Wha?” Prompto warily took a step back. “Why?”

Aurora took a step forward and took Prompto’s gun from it’s holster on his hip. “I need to shoot that bespectacled traitor.” 

She shimmied her way back into the small hole as the others tried to reason with her that the man was already dead. Their words fell on deaf ears as they heard multiple gunshots and colourful words. She emerged from the hole sporting the glasses the man had been wearing. 

“What are those?” Ignis raised an eyebrow. 

“My spoils of war,” she replied, adjusting the glasses. She returned the gun to Prompto. “Thank you, Prom. That was very cathartic.”

  
  


“Urp,” Aurora leaned against Ignis as they rode one fo the magic cubes up. “I’m feeling nauseous.”

“Wearing glasses that don’t fit your prescription will do that over time,” the advisor sighed. 

“Fine, I’ll take out the lenses,” she huffed, taking the glasses off. She pushed on the lenses with her thumbs until they popped out and placed the frames back on her face. “Ah, much better.”

“Whew, we made it back,” Prompto sighed with relief once they were back in the large open area from before.

“Made it back just to go back down,” Aurora grumbled. 

“Heh?” Prompto turned to her. “What does that mean?”

“It means we have to do this a few more times until we find the path we need,” Aurora explained. “That’s what me and those crooks figured out all those years ago.”

“Then lead the way,” Noctis motioned for Aurora to find the next path. Aurora seemed reluctant but complied. 

“For the record,” she began as they followed her to the next ancient elevator. “Just about anything in here could make me...unpleasant again. So, don’t be surprised if my mood suddenly changes.”

“Noted.” Noctis nodded. 

The elevator began its descent but another block moved in the way, sealing off where they had come from. “The exit is sealed off,” Ignis mumbled.

“Thanks, I had no idea,” Aurora snorted. Ignis nudged her.

“But we can unseal it, right Noct?” Prompto looked over to Noctis. “Noct!?”

“How should  _ I _ know?” Noctis seemed exasperated. “We’ll think of something. Just chill. Rory’s been here before, maybe she can help.”

“Do I seem like the ‘chill’ type to you?” Prompto threw his hands up. “W-we can unseal it, right Rory?” 

The healer shrugged in response, “I made it out alive once. Maybe I can do it again.”

“Maybe!?”

  
  


“Uh,” Noctis furrowed his brow. After another long trek through the block maze, the group had come to an impasse. “There are two buttons.”

“Which should we choose?” Ignis placed a hand on his chin as he thought out loud. “One will lead to our desired destination. The other is most likely a trap.”

Aurora started hyperventilating at the thought of getting stuck in the ruins again. She turned to Ignis, “Crista, I need you to slap me.”

“I beg your pardon!?” Ignis was taken aback by his girlfriend’s request.

“Yeah, keep your bedroom antics in the bedroom, you two.” Gladio rolled his eyes.

“No, that’s not--uhg!” She slapped herself instead. “Gah! Okay. Focus time! I’m gonna go check the button over there.”

“I’ll join you,” Gladio nodded as he followed Aurora.

“Why don’t we just try one out?” Prompto clicked on the button in front of him and the blocks began to move. 

“Prompto, we’re not ready!” Gladio called. He got Aurora’s attention. “Hey, the train’s leavin’ without us!”

“Shit!” They ran to the block the others were on but it had already ascended halfway. “We can’t make it. Go on without us!”

“Be safe, you two!” Ignis called before the block had risen completely. 

“Now what do we do?” Gladio sighed heavily. A group of daemons appeared and the duo prepared to fight.

“We fight our way out,” Aurora replied as she threw a dagger at one of them. 

The daemons didn’t last long. Between Gladio’s raw strength and Aurora’s speed and healing, they made quick work of anything that dared get close to them. By the time they got rid of the daemons, the healer was having trouble breathing.

“Urk,” she doubled over, the pain in her side getting worse.

“You okay?” Gladio placed a hand on her shoulder. “What’s up?”

“My side really hurts. Am I bleeding? Hang on.” Aurora took off her shirt and Gladio could see a small piece of metal jutting out from the side of her ribcage, right along her bra line. 

“How the hell did you manage to get a little bit of metal stuck in your side?” The Shield grabbed onto the little bit of metal and yanked it out. Unprepared, Aurora shrieked loudly, punching Gladio in the gut out of reflex. It didn’t seem to affect him much other than the small ‘oof’ sound he made. The metal bit was at least three inches long and Gladio winced. “I...didn’t realise it was that big. I-uh, I would have been more gentle.”

“Oh Gods,” Aurora’s eyes widened as she got a good look at the bloody metal bit in Gladio’s hand. “That’s the underwire of my bra.” She quickly took her bra off and examined it. “Fuck, it must have snapped sometime in these ruins. We’ve been in so many scuffles I hadn’t even noticed this thing slowly stabbing me.”

Gladio wasn’t paying much attention. He had such little shame that he just freely stared at Aurora’s boobs. There were multiple hickeys not only on her boobs but all over the parts of her body that were usually clothed. “Can you stop gawking?” She threw the broken bra at him. “Hold this.” She took out her lyre and played a little tune to heal the mostly internal wounds.

“So,” Gladio smirked as he crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. “How’s Iggy in the sac?”

“No.” Aurora snorted as she put her lyre away.

Gladio furrowed his brow. “No, what?” 

“No, I am not telling you about our sex life.” Aurora playfully stuck her tongue out at him before putting her shirt back on. 

“Fine,” Gladio had the bra dangling from his finger, “So, what do you want me to do with this?”

“Keep it,” The healer replied simply. “Consider it a souvenir.”

“Well, don’t mind if I do,” Gladio hummed playfully, wearing the bra like a helmet, fastening the clasp under his chin. Aurora snorted a laugh, the first one since being in the ruins.

“Thanks, I needed that,” she nudged him.

“But seriously, is he treating you right?”

“Why do you keep bringing this up?” Aurora sighed, exasperated.

“I just...after that episode you had, I just want to make sure you have at least one good thing in your life that doesn’t make you feel that way,” Gladio scratched the back of his head. “We’re friends, I care about you, and I want to make sure you’re being treated well. Kinda seems like he’s being harsh on you.”

Aurora rolled her eyes as they ascended on one of the large cubes but couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across her face. “Yes, I am being treated very well. Ignis is wonderful, and you are a dear friend to me. I told him to keep an eye on me because I often make stupid decisions and I’m trying to better myself.”

“Finally realised you’re being dumb, huh?” Gladio chuckled. 

“I know you’re trying to be smooth and tease me but it’s not really working with you wearing my bra like a bike helmet,” Aurora giggled. 

They made their way through the maze of blocks and found themselves back in the large room. “Ah fuck!!” Aurora cried out. Her voice echoed through the room. “Back down we go.”

“It’s not so bad,” Gladio shrugged. “We can keep talking about boys. You would not believe it, I saw the cutest boy at the Chocobo Post.”

Aurora snorted and she playfully shoved him. “Stop it.”

Gladio smirked as he draped an arm around the healer’s shoulders.

  
  


“Aurora!” Ignis embraced her once they were reunited on solid ground. “Thank heavens you’re safe.”

“You too,” Aurora gave him a kiss. 

Ignis looked over at Gladio, noticing the bra fastened on his head. He furrowed his brow. “What are you wearing?”

“It’s called fashion, sweetie,” Gladio replied with a shit eating grin. 

“Speaking of fashion,” Aurora bent down and untied the Ribbon from her ankle. She handed the item to Ignis. “To protect you.”

“Thank you, darling, but don’t you need that?”

“I recently got my old one back,” she took the Ribbon she acquired earlier out of her pocket. “So, I’m good.”

“Very well,” Ignis took the Ribbon and wrapped it around his wrist while Aurora used hers to tie her hair into a high ponytail. 

“Aww, your hair looks so cute like that!” Prompto chided, bouncing the curls of her hair in his hands.

“Isn’t this...the same room?” Prompto questioned as they entered the room with a small hole in the back. A couple Red Giants and a couple Naga began to manifest, along with a small army of Flan. “Geez, it never ends!!”

“Do your magic, kiddo!” Gladio cried as the boys stood back. 

Aurora pushed up her sleeves before reaching to her hip and sliding her finger across the strings of her lyre. The soothing sound sent a surge of magical energy through her body. The familiar heat and crackling of lightning emanated from her arms. She ran forward a couple steps before pushing her arms forward, sending two strong bolts of lightning from her fingers. The Flan in the room melted away but the other larger daemons only seemed annoyed by the magic. “I think I only made them angry!” She called out as the boys entered the room. 

“You got rid of the annoying ones, good job!” Gladio gave her a hard pat on the back. “Let’s go!”

Not even a few minutes in, the group heard the sounds of a frog. 

“Prompto’s a frog!” Noctis called out.

“He’s so cuuuute!” Aurora picked him up and brought him to a safer area. “Don’t you worry your cute little froggy head. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

“Hand him over,” Ignis met up with Aurora, holding a Maiden’s Kiss. 

“Hmmm, I dunno. I’ve always wanted a pet,” Aurora giggled. A Naga caught sight of them and made its way over.

“Now is not the time for games!” Ignis scolded, scooping up the amphibious Prompto. He was turned back to normal with a startled cry. “Hoppy to have you back,” Ignis pat the boy on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” Prompto rubbed his head before pulling his gun out and jumping back into the fight.

“Oh, I’m not allowed to have fun but you get to make puns?” Aurora sneered as she threw a dagger at the oncoming Naga. 

Aurora noticed Gladio had been turned into a frog. She was going to laugh at him but the Naga was about to crush him so she dove in just in time to scoop him up and get him to safety. “Geez, you guys as frogs was funny at first but now it’s just a handful,” she huffed, placing the amphibious shield on her shoulder. He croaked in response. A few minutes of Aurora fighting Flan went by when suddenly the weight of a full grown 6’6” man was on her shoulders. “Holy shit!” She screamed before falling to the ground. “Dude, you’re heavy as fuck.”

“It’s all muscle, baby,” he mused, picking her up. “Hey, thanks for saving me earlier.”

“No problem,” she smiled up at him. “Hey, do you think you can throw me up in the Naga’s face?”

“Eeehhh,” Gladio was reluctant to throw his friend but ultimately gave in. “Fine, get ready.”

“Do not throw her, Gladio!” Ignis warned as he tried to fight the Naga.

“Do it!!” She yelled. Gladio complied and threw her up at the Naga’s face.

“Aurora!!” Ignis called out. She ignored him in favour of grabbing onto the beast’s hair and trying not to get bitten. She got her bearings and managed to sit atop its head before plunging her daggers into the beast’s skull. It screeched and writhed around. Aurora couldn’t hold on any longer and was flung off. Ignis managed to catch her and they both fell to the ground. “Why don’t the two of you ever listen to me?”

“Sorry, babe,” Aurora groaned as she brought out her lyre. “You okay?”

“If you remove your knee from my spleen I’m sure I’ll be just fine,” he groaned. 

“Oops,” Aurora shimmied off of him and plucked a few strings on her lyre. She looked up at the Naga. “Shit, it’s not dead yet.”

“Almost as if your reckless action was completely pointless,” the advisor grumbled as he sat up. “Don’t do that again.” She was going to protest but kept her mouth shut. She was the one who told him to watch out for her. 

“Right,” she nodded as they got up. “I’ll stay behind you.”

Once the battle was over, Aurora sat her butt on the ground, completely exhausted. She heard croaking beside her and saw that Noctis was still a frog. “Aww, our little prince is a frog,” she cooed.

“How ribbiting,” Ignis replied.

He heard Aurora laugh from the other end of the room. “Ribbiting! Hah!” She repeated with a cackle. “Were you always this funny?”

“Yes, but everyone just seems to ignore it,” he sighed.

There was a small pause before Aurora spoke again. “Hey Crista,” she called to Ignis as she picked up the amphibious prince. “Do you think if I kiss Noctis he’ll turn back into a prince? Y’know, like in the fairytales?”

“Do not kiss him,” Ignis grumbled as he tried to find their other amphibious friends. “Last time I checked, you were my girlfriend. Not his.”

“I’m gonna do it.”

“Aurora,” Ignis warned. Aurora kept eye contact with Ignis as she leaned closer to the frog prince, lips puckered. “Don’t you dare.”

Before her lips met with the frog, it turned back into Noctis with a poof of green smoke. “And here I thought I could get a free kiss,” Noctis sighed as he laid on the ground. 

“You’re really testing my patience, Bug,” Ignis sighed as he gave a maiden’s kiss to the other two.

“Gee, sorry I’m human and have emotions,” she said sarcastically. Ignis gave her a look. “I’m sorry. I’m trying my best to cope with...being back here.”

“Uh oh, Mom and Dad are fighting,” Prompto whispered. Ignis ignored the young blonde and embraced his girlfriend. “You guys hug a lot, it’s cute.”

“Being physically close to your soulmate has a calming effect,” Aurora sighed happily. 

“Get a room!” Gladio yelled.

  
  


The ruins were incredibly unforgiving. From multiple strong daemons to fight to getting lost in the maze and having to start over, the group was exhausted. Aurora was running low on magic and everyone was sore. 

“Definitely never been here before!” Prompto said excitedly as they turned the corner of the maze and found a circular room with what seemed to be a different kind of elevator. 

“I’m amazed we made it out.” 

“Was that a pun?” Aurora turned to Ignis. He just smiled.

“Alright! Take that, labyrinth!” Prompto punched the air.

Gladio placed a hand on his shoulder, “I wouldn’t start celebrating yet. We’re not done here.”

“You have got to be kidding me.” the blonde whined.

Ignis noticed Aurora had stopped walking and turned to her. “Darling?”

“I never made it this far before,” she said quietly. “As soon as I found my way back I got out of these ruins and told myself I’d never come back.” She looked up at Ignis, her eyes bloodshot from exhaustion and all the crying she had done earlier. “I’m scared.”

“I doubt it will be anything we haven’t been able to handle before,” he crossed his arms. “What was it you said to me at camp near Ravatogh? When we were at odds.”

Aurora snorted a laugh. “I said I’m a tough bitch and can handle what life throws at me.”

“Exactly,” Ignis smiled. “Unless, of course, you were lying.”

“Me? A  _ lyre _ ?” Aurora brought her lyre close to her face, strumming it wildly. “Never!” Ignis snorted a laugh at her pun.

“Then get your butt on the lift,” Ignis motioned to the elevator the others were looking at. 

  
  


They reached the end and could see a couple skeletons. Or, what was left of them, rather. 

“Guess this is where the other two wound up,” Aurora commented, unfeeling. She kicked some of the bones, “Rot in hell, dickheads! You got what you deserved!”

“Now might not be a good time for that,” Ignis placed a hand on her shoulder, taking her attention away from the bones and up at the large beast that sauntered up to them. The beast was a Jabberwok, a large reptilian monster that wasn't seen much on the surface. It wasn't exactly a common sight underground, either. 

“That’s a big lizard,” Aurora gulped. “You have your Ribbon, right?”

“Indeed,” Ignis nodded as he summoned his polearm. “How are you fairing mentally? Are you up to this?”

“I’m okay, don’t worry,” Aurora gave him a smile. “Be safe, okay? I-I love you.”

Ignis pulled her into a heated kiss. “I love you, as well,” he whispered against her lips.

“You guys ready for this?” Gladio got his greatsword ready.

“I am now,” Aurora grinned as she readied her daggers. 

The group ran to the beast. Prompto made first contact, shooting it from the back, while Noctis and Gladio charged forward with their weapons. “Watch it doesn’t crush you!” Ignis warned. 

“Huh?” Noctis turned to Ignis as the beast lifted its large foot. It was about to step on Noctis but Ignis ran in to push him out of the way. 

“Watch the enemy’s movements!” Ignis scolded the young prince. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Thanks Specs,” Noctis waved his hand dismissively before warping away. Ignis grumbled under his breath. 

The healer tried confusing the large beast, playing a tune to set off her magic. It shook its large head and whipped its tail in her direction. She couldn’t get away fast enough and the tail made contact with her arm, effectively sending her lyre flying to the other end of the room.

“Ahg!” Aurora cried out as she clutched her arm closer to her body. The Jabberwok had sliced a sizably gash into her arm.

Aurora hummed lowly and her wounds began to heal. “Shit, you can do that without your lyre?” Gladio asked, catching his breath. 

“My magic is sound based,” she huffed. “You already knew that. It's just better with the lyre.”

“Guess I just didn’t think that meant literally any sound,” the shield shrugged before running back into the fray. 

By the time Aurora had healed her arm, Prompto had run over to her with something in his hand. “Here,” he breathed heavily. He gave her lyre back. “I was able to get it before the big lizard stepped on it.”

“You are a treasure,” Aurora squeezed his arm affectionately and played a healing song, healing the team and giving them some buffs. Prompto smiled widely before running off to the others. 

The Jabberwok zeroed in on Aurora after hearing her playing another tune. It tried snapping at her with its large maw but she was able to duck just in time. However, it caught the end of her ponytail and lifted her up in the air. 

“Aurora!” Ignis called out. The healer writhed around as she tried to wiggle herself free but the beast wouldn’t let go. As a last ditch effort, she reached up with her dagger and sliced off a good chunk of her hair, cutting just a few inches before the Ribbon that was keeping her ponytail together. As she fell to the ground her Ribbon loosened from her hair. From all of the movement and the fact that there was much less hair to be tied to, the Ribbon slipped out and drifted to the ground. 

Ignis ran to her and helped her up as the others distracted the large beast. Before he could say anything, Aurora began to turn to stone. She panicked, feeling around her hair. “M-my Ribbon…!” She looked up at Ignis before completely turning to stone. 

“Iggy!” Gladio called as he shielded the other two from getting stepped on and crushed. “We’re hurtin’ over here! We need you!”

“Aurora is--”

“Now!!” 

Ignis growled before taking out a golden needle. He stabbed Aurora as hard as he could with it to make sure he penetrated the hard stone and ran to help the others.

Aurora regained consciousness after feeling a sharp pain in the side of her arm. She pulled out the intrusion and found a bloody golden needle. She groaned as she threw it on the ground. She reached behind her to get her bow but realised she had left it in the car. “Fuck!” She cried, pulling out her daggers and clanging them together loudly. The sound set off her magic, her daggers getting cold with ice magic, and she threw one at the Jabberwok. 

The beast roared loudly and turned in the direction the dagger had come from but Aurora was already gone, running to the guys. “Hey, are you guys okay?” She asked, out of breath. 

“Your arm.” Prompto pointed to where Aurora had pulled out the golden needle. It was bleeding profusely. 

“Your hair.” Noctis cocked his head as he tried to get a better look at her newly cut hair. 

“Nevermind all that,” she strummed her lyre to heal the boys. “You ready to fight?”

“Always,” Noctis replied with a smirk. 

The Jabberwok finally found where the group was and charged at them. They scattered. 

The healer threw her last remaining dagger imbued with ice magic but completely missed the mark. Her bleeding arm was not in its best form. She pulled a healing potion from her bag and downed the contents in hopes of stopping the bleeding. 

“Hey, Solar Wind!!” Gladio called out. Aurora turned to him, confused as to why he was using her title. “Now might be a good time to use some of that bitchin’ fire magic!”

She smiled brightly and nodded. “Right!!” She jumped out in front of the large beast. “This is for my hair, bitch.”

With a few plucks of her lyre, a familiar warm wind blew past her and toward the Jabberwok. With another few hearty strums, Aurora placed her lyre back at her hip as her arms seemed to catch fire. She pulled her arms back before throwing them forward, the flames surrounding her sent flying toward the monster. It screeched in pain as the flames engulfed it.

“Yeah! That’s it, sweetheart!” Gladio bellowed from behind her. 

“Alright, boys, we’re in the home stretch,” Prompto chimed, shooting at the beast. 

Aurora could barely hear anything else that was taking place. Her vision blurred and she became lightheaded. She used up a dangerous amount of her magic to pull off that move, something she wasn’t used to doing anymore. 

She fell to the floor, unconscious. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out her spite outweighs her subconscious need to seek death. Who knew.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang gets ready to go to Altissia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a filler episode that I barely had time to edit, sorry!
> 
> Warning!  
> This chapter contains explicit sexual content

The healer’s eyes fluttered open. Hoping to see something other than the awful ruins that plagued her memories, she was thoroughly disappointed with her surroundings. The whine that came from her throat was loud and pathetic. 

It took her a moment to realise she was being carried, big strong arms keeping her close. She looked up to see Gladio smiling down at her. “Morning sleepy head.”

“Nhg...is it actually morning?” Her body ached when she tried to move.

“It’s almost dawn. We’ve been in here for over 24 hours,” Ignis replied. He gently pet Aurora on the head. “You gave us quite a scare, Bug.”

“Worth it to look super cool,” she laughed before slipping out of Gladio’s arms to stand up and stretch. She let out a low groan as she continued to stretch, her whole body was aching. 

Prompto went up to Aurora. He held his hand out to her, the Ribbon she had been wearing resting in the palm of his hand. “You dropped this.”

“Thanks Prom,” Aurora smiled at him and she tied the Ribbon around her wrist.

“It doesn’t look that bad, y’know,” he said. Aurora looked up at him with a frown. “Your hair, I mean. It looks good short.”

“Thanks,” she sighed, running her hand through her hair. “I just wish I could have taken out my jewelry before cutting it.”

“Better to have cut your hair than have the beast snap your neck while thrashing about,” Ignis stated. “We’re nearly at the exit.”

Aurora ran as fast as she could up the stairs of the ruins, tripping a few times but getting up just as quick. She stopped once she reached the grass on the surface. The sun was still sleeping behind the horizon. 

She cried out loudly. All the stress from the events of the past 24 hours left her as she fell backwards into the grass. It was rough and itchy but she loved it. She looked up at the starry sky and reached out to it.

“Dramatic much?” Gladio teased.

“I am free of those wretched ruins,” Aurora cried out, upping the dramatics to annoy Gladio. “They plagued me so!”

“Okay there, drama queen,” Gladio pulled her up to her feet. “Let’s go find your bird.”

Aurora gasped. “Beans! She’s probably so worried!!” She ran to the campsite.

  
  


Once the group had made it back to Cape Caem, Aurora looked on at the boys who were walking in front of her, the boys she had grown so fond of over the past few months. She felt a mix of affection and guilt. That guilt that was ever present, feeling as if she’s caused more harm than good though their whole journey together. She could feel tears well up in her eyes but forced them back down.

“Hey,” Aurora caught Ignis’s shirt to keep him from walking any further. “You haven’t said much about what happened to me in the ruins. I, uh, I want to know how you feel.”

“About which part?”

“All-All of it,” she stuttered for a moment. 

“I have...a lot of feelings,” he paused to look at his girlfriend. “None of which put you in a bad light.” Aurora let out a large breath she had been holding but the weight of the situation was still heavy on her shoulders. 

“You don’t care that I killed someone?”

“Honestly, I’m surprised you hadn’t killed anyone up until that point. You’ve lived so long, one would only assume that in your line of work you’d end up killing someone eventually.”

“This one was...different,” she played with her choppy uneven hair. “War is different. This was straight up killing someone just because I had the means to.”

“You were being sexually assaulted,” he spoke plainly. “Frankly, I feel you should have gutted him from the waist up.”

Aurora snorted a laugh. “I guess we’re both sadists when we want to be.”

“Almost like we were made for each other,” Ignis smiled. Aurora huffed a laugh and looked down at her feet, scratching at her scarred arm, as she often does.

“So, this doesn’t change how you feel about me?”

“No, I’ve already told you nothing will change how I feel.”

Her head shot up to meet his gaze. “But--”

“Bug,” Ignis covered her mouth. “You are very broken, a mess, even. You have multiple problems you need to sort out, you cry more often than not ever since opening up to me, and I love you.” Aurora’s eyes began to water despite not wanting to after he called her out on crying too much. “No one is perfect. Best you can hope for is someone who is willing to come along for the ride.”

He removed his hand from her mouth. “Gods,” Aurora rubbed her face before dragging her hands up and through her hair. “You deserve so much more than what I can offer. It’s maddening.”

With a chuckle, Ignis brought her in for a hug. “I won’t lie to you and say I fell madly in love with you in a single moment,” he whispered into her hair. “But I did grow to admire you deeply over the course of our travels. That admiration will never waver. I’ll say it a thousand times if I have to.”

Aurora sniffed as she hid her face in his chest. “You may have to say it a million times at the rate I’m questioning your affection,” she mumbled into his chest. 

  
  


The couple finally made it inside of the house at the base of the lighthouse and Iris gasped. “What happened to your hair?” She circled around the healer, looking at the uneven cut and frayed ends. 

“A big lizard ate it,” she grumbled. “Are you well versed in hair? Do you think you could help me get this mess fixed?”

“Oh, of course!” Iris smiled wildly as she took Aurora’s hand and dragged her into the bathroom. 

After a couple hours of waiting and hearing their muffled giggling, the girls finally emerged from the bathroom. “Well? What do you think?” Iris asked as she pushed Aurora in front of her. 

Her hair was much shorter than before, hovering a couple inches below her jaw in a cute bob. Her bangs were trimmed and sideswept, resting just below her right eyebrow.

“Wow! You look great!” Prompto said as he snapped a couple pictures of her. 

“It’s not too short?” Aurora played with a few loose curls. “I haven’t had short hair in a long time. It feels so...light.”

Ignis walked up to her and kissed the top of her head. “You look lovely, darling.”

  
  


“We should go for a walk,” Aurora slid over to where Ignis was idly reading in the kitchen. She was wearing her cute turquoise dress. “Before the sun sets.”

“That sounds nice,” Ignis smiled at her as he closed his book. 

“Great! Let’s go!” She took his hand and led him out of the house and onto the dirt path. “It’s been a while since we’ve had time to ourselves.” They made their way down the path to where the car was parked. The vendor was still open and a few patrons were idling in the area. “Let’s go over by those trees,” Aurora pointed to her left and started shuffling her way over to the small area full of trees.

“Are you planning on going right to the coast?”

“Nah, pretty sure there’s a big lobster monster down there,” she shrugged before twirling around to face her boyfriend. “So, tell me, Crista. How does it feel to be dating someone who’s barely changed since you were a child?”

He chuckled. “I try not to think about it. I often consider our meeting all those years ago to be a completely different person.”

“I suppose in some way I was completely different,” Aurora looked around at the trees. She sat down in the shade of one of the bigger trees. Ignis sat beside her. “You were such a cute little dweeb. All sad but hopeful.”

Ignis snorted. “Speaking of which,” he said as he took off his pendant and placed it around Aurora’s neck, “I believe this is yours.”

“Wha...? Hey, I gave this to you. It’s not mine anymore.” She tried to take it off but Ignis stopped her. 

“Then I am giving it to you,” he kissed her temple. “As a gift.” The healer huffed through her nose and shook her head. She laid her head on his shoulder with a smile, slipping her hand in his. They stayed in comfortable silence until the sun began to set.

“Hey,” Aurora took the opportunity to straddle him. “You’ve been looking like a snack all day. It’s been torture not being able to ride you.”

“Here? Outside?” Ignis smirked as he trailed his hands up her bare thighs. He questioned her timing and location but didn't protest. “There are people not far from here.”

“Let them watch,” she whispered, grinding her hips against him as she kissed and sucked at his neck. 

“Such a naughty kitten,” he growled into her ear. He could feel her unbuttoning his shirt with her nimble fingers. 

She shivered. “Kitten?”

“Don’t like it?”

“I never said that,” she whispered back, biting his earlobe. “Just relax and let your  _ kitten _ take care of you.” 

Ignis groaned loudly and grabbed her ass. He felt lightheaded when he realised she wasn't wearing any panties. No bra, no panties, just a tiny dress to entice him. She  _ planned _ this. “Aurora,” he breathed. 

“Yes Ignis?” She hummed, palming his clothed erection. 

She moaned as Ignis grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled hard. “Don’t tease me, love,” he warned. 

“Aw, it’s cute how you think you’re in charge this time,” she giggled, continuing to palm at the bulge in his pants. Ignis pulled her hair harder and she cried out in pleasure. 

“Don’t tease me,” he repeated. 

“Yes sir,” she smirked as she freed his cock from the confines of his trousers.  _ Sir _ . That stirred some new feelings in the advisor he’ll have to explore later. 

Aurora lined herself up before sinking herself down on him with a strangled mewl, her head falling back. “Ah! Fuck, I love how big you are. The way you stretch my pussy feels so good.”

“Gods,” Ignis gasped, trying to keep his voice down as Aurora began to ride him. 

Aurora didn’t even try to keep her voice down as she bounced on his cock. She reached back and untied the knot that was keeping her dress up. The fabric fell to her waist, her chest now free. 

Ignis wasted no time taking one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking and biting at the little nub while using his fingers to roll and pinch the other. The healer moaned into his hair as she felt the flat of his tongue glide along her hardened nipple. She could feel her release creeping up faster than she would have liked.

"You're so tight around me, darling," the advisor moaned before bringing Aurora in for a kiss. He licked her bottom lip and she parted her lips enough for him to slip his tongue into her mouth. He slid a hand between them and thumbed at her clit. The healer squeaked as she gripped his shoulders tightly. Her muscles tightened around him and he groaned, breaking the kiss. "Go on," he urged, continuing to thumb at her clitoris. "Cum hard on my cock."

Hearing Ignis say something so vulgar sent Aurora over the edge. She came with a loud moan, riding out her intense orgasm with harsh rolls of her hips. 

Ignis wasn't far from his own release. Feeling himself getting closer with each flutter of Aurora's muscles.

“Are you gonna cum?” She quickened her pace. 

"Yes! I'm so close!" Ignis groaned, thrusting up to meet her hips. 

“Cum for me, baby,” She purred in his ear. She cried out when he bit down on her shoulder to muffle his own cries of pleasure, his thrusts coming to a sudden halt. 

“I love you,” he whispered after catching his breath.

The healer kissed him deeply before placing her forehead against his. “I love you, too.”

  
  


“Heard you guys fuckin’ earlier,” Gladio smirked as he elbowed Aurora. “Mostly you, though. Damn, you’re loud.” Aurora winked in response, obviously not sorry in the slightest. She hopped onto the kitchen counter as she ate some strawberries she picked at her cottage. She offered one to Gladio and he took it. “Like, honestly, I feel like I know you better than the guy you’re actually fucking.”

“Jealous?”

“Nah, as passionate as our lovemaking would be, it would burn out real quick. You two are good for each other,” Gladio smiled as he took another berry, popping it into his mouth. “But, I mean, if you ever want someone to watch you...”

“Hah!” Aurora threw her head back in laughter, hitting his arm playfully. “I doubt Ignis would be cool with that.”

“What won’t I be cool with?” Ignis asked as he entered the scene. 

“Me watching you guys fuck,” Gladio replied bluntly.

Ignis was quiet. He blinked a few times, looked away in thought, then looked back at the others. “I’ll have to think about it.” Was all he said before leaving to find Noct before the sun set.

Aurora and Gladio were slack jawed as they watched Ignis leave.

“What just happened?” Aurora squeaked, repeatedly tapping on Gladio’s shoulder. “You’ve been friends for years, what did that mean?”

“I have no idea,” he pushed himself off of the counter and started for the door. “Lemme go talk to him.”

“Hey,” Gladio walked up to Ignis. “I was just kidding about the whole watching you guys thing. I don’t want to get between you guys if that kind of thing would start a fight.”

“Oh?” Ignis almost sounded disappointed. 

“I know I caused you two some tension. I just want to make it clear that Aurora’s cool and all but we’re just friends.”

“I see,” Ignis placed a hand on his chin. “I’m...not opposed to the idea...perhaps when we’ve had more time to ourselves…” He seemed lost in thought again.

“Ohhh,” Gladio smirked. “Discovering some kinks you’re into, huh?”

“I…” Ignis pretended to push up his glasses to cover his face, embarrassed. 

“I get it. You’re possessive. You want others to know she’s yours,” Gladio winked. “That’s hot.”

“I said I’ll have to think about it,” the advisor’s voice betrayed him with its higher pitch and slight cracking. 

“Right,” Gladio smiled while walking backwards to the house. He gave Ignis a cheeky wave before turning and walking forward.

“So, what did he say?” Aurora asked as Gladio entered the house.

“You’re a couple of freaks, that’s what  _ I _ say,” he teased, ruffling her hair. “Call me next time you want an audience.”

Aurora threw a strawberry at him. “Shut up!”

“Would you quit throwing food at me?” He laughed, catching a berry in his fist and eating it.

“I will continue to throw produce at you for the rest of my days!!” She threw more berries at him.

  
  


“Oh boy, I can’t wait to go to Altissa!” Aurora hopped lightly as they rode the elevator down to the base of the lighthouse. “Romantic scenery, exotic foods, wiiiine.”

“Remember, this isn’t a vacation, love,” Ignis reminded her as they exited the elevator.

“Yeah, yeah...Wait,” Aurora squinted, trying to get a good look at the man they were approaching. “By the Gods. Cor!”

“Aurora?” The man was baffled to see her. Aurora ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. Cor embraced her tightly, one arm around her waist and the other with his hand on her head, keeping her close. “How long has it been?”

“At least ten years.”

Noctis tilted his head curiously, “So, does Aurora just know everyone or what?”

“I guess so,” Prompto shrugged. “She just fell out of contact with everyone for years preparing to die.”

“Yes, it would seem that way,” Ignis mumbled as he covered his mouth, staring at the embrace Aurora was sharing with Cor. It was more of a glare, really.

Gladio nudged him, “Jealous?”

“He’s an ex partner and an old friend of hers,” Ignis explained. “You can’t expect me to be apathetic about the situation.”

“Jealous,” Gladio smirked.

“Indeed…”

Cor paused for a moment before speaking. “Something I gotta get off my chest.”

“What’s that?” Noctis asked.

Another pause. “I’m sorry. Sorry I wasn’t there for your father.” Noctis looked down for a moment and kept quiet. “I swore an oath to protect the king but I wasn’t strong enough to uphold it.” Aurora felt the pain in the Marshal’s voice. The guilt. Something she was all too familiar with. His words hung in the air.

“Ain’t nothin’ nobody coulda done to stop what happened,” Cid stated as he walked over to the group.

“Yeah, I realise that,” Noctis nodded.

“But you need to realise just what you mean to the boys by your side.”

Noctis smiled. “I do.”

“Even if they can’t solve your problems, you can’t hide what’s goin’ on from ‘em,” Cid’s voice became low as he sat on the couch in thought. “It hurts like hell,” he leaned forward. “Remember, those ain’t your bodyguards. They’re your brothers. Trust in ‘em. Always. Even that one over there,” he motioned to the healer. “Aurora. Been quite some time since I seen yer beautiful scowling face.”

She snorted. “Good to see you, too, Cid. Looking rather ancient these days, I see.”

“Yer one to talk.” Cid leaned back on the couch and got comfortable. 

“Careful, if you sneeze you might turn to dust.”

“Pah!” He shooed her away. 

While everyone else was mulling around, Aurora took the time to talk to Cor. “So, I, uh...I have some news,” Aurora began, fiddling with her fingers. Cor turned to face her, cocking his head to the side slightly. “I’m finally aging.”

Cor’s eyes widened, “You’re aging?” Aurora nodded with a smile. Cor brought her in for another hug. “That’s fantastic!”

“You can thank Iggy for that,” Gladio gave Ignis a hard pat on the back.

Cor walked up to Ignis and extended his hand, “Thank you. For being what Aurora needed the most.” His face was still stern but had a slight softness in his eyes. Ignis took his hand in a hardy shake. 

“It’s my pleasure, Marshal,” he took his hand away, ignoring Gladio’s comment about it ‘being his pleasure every night’. “Though I’m curious as to why Aurora was hardly mentioned, if at all, in the Crown City.”

“That was by design,” Cor explained. “An unaging woman being so close to the royal family with healing magic would spread whispers of a new god. We would usually use a codename or not speak of her at all. Especially when she requested to be forgotten 12 years ago. All mention of her was done in secrecy.” Aurora looked away sheepishly when the group turned to her at the news. 

“Don’t look at me like that, we all know I make bad decisions,” she huffed. “I wanted to disappear. To reemerge possibly twenty years later so I could start up anew and pretend I was my own daughter. I had done something similar between the reigns of the last two kings.”

“Either way, to keep suspicion low, we kept our conversations and documents on the down low,” Cor crossed his arms. “But I’m glad Aurora can now find peace in growing old.”

“Waitin’ for an invitation? Get your asses on board!” Cid called from the boat.

“Right. Let’s go!” Noctis motioned for the group to follow.

Aurora turned back to Cor and gave him a quick hug. “It was good to see you again, Cor.”

“Likewise,” he hugged her back before she quickly slipped away and followed Noctis. Cor turned to Ignis. “Take care of her.”

Ignis nodded. “I will.”

“Please come back soon! We need our king!” Talcott called out as the boat began to sail away. 

“Yeah! Count on it!” Noctis called back to him.

“Take care of Beans while I’m gone!” Aurora waved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to take a couple weeks to write the next few chapters. I don't want my writing to suffer because of a self imposed deadline. But I'll be back soon!


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why this chapter took me so long but it's finally finished and I can go have a nap lol  
> Writing feelings is hard.
> 
> Warning!  
> This chapter contains explicit sexual content

Aurora was tanning on the boat in a little black bikini she bought prior to the trip as Gladio sat beside her, engaging in idle chatter. “Shouldn’t you be covering up? Ignis can get real jealous when he wants to,” Gladio stated.

“I have many notches in my belt but I’m not a cheater,” Aurora mumbled as she adjusted her sunglasses. “I will be loyal to Ignis always. You just have to keep it in your pants if seeing me in minimal clothing gets you all flustered.”

“I ain’t flustered.” Gladio laid down beside Aurora. 

Ignis joined them and sat near Aurora’s head, trying to balance a can of Ebony on her forehead. “Crista, that’s cold,” the healer scrunched her nose at the sudden cold sensation.

“Don’t move,” he said quietly, placing another can on top of the first. Aurora started to giggle after the third can was placed on the second one. “Bug, you’re going to make my Ebony tower fall.”

“You chose a giggly foundation, it’s not my fault,” she smiled, still trying not to move. The tower fell over Aurora’s body. “Ow, my person.”

Ignis sighed forlornly, “Castle Scientia has fallen.”

“A sad day,” Aurora feigned sadness as she took one of the cans and cracked it open.

“You guys are nerds,” Gladio mumbled.

“We’re almost there,” Cid informed the group after another while of sailing.

Aurora hummed in acknowledgement but was too busy enjoying getting her hair braided by Gladio. “How are you able to braid my hair so well?” She asked him.

“Comes with having a little sister,” Gladio smiled as he finished his work. “There. I even put your Ribbon in a cute little bow in the back.”

Aurora used her phone as a mirror to inspect her new hairstyle. Gladio had taken the longer strands from the front and braided them to the back of her head with the Ribbon tying the two braids together. The rest of her hair was flowing freely. “It’s so cute! Thank you, Gladio.”

“Aurora,” Cid caught their attention. “A little bird told me you’re aging again. Congrats.”

“Thanks Cid,” she smiled, adjusting her kimono cardigan.

“Guess you won’t have to worry ‘bout yer grandkid passin’ on before you, huh?”

“It really puts me at ease,” she nodded as she got up from her seat and walked over to her old friend. “How are you doing, Cid?”

“Eh, I’m livin’,” the old man shrugged. He was a lot older than Aurora remembered him being the last time she saw him. “You still usin’ those daggers I fixed up for yah?”

“I am,” Aurora smiled, leaning her weight against the chair Cid was sitting in. “I also found the old ones I lost all those years ago.”

“Yikes, you went back to the tower?” Cids sucked in a sharp breath of air. “Sorry to hear that, but I’m glad you got those daggers back. They’re older than I am.”

“And that’s saying something,” the healer snorted. 

“Pah!” Cid waved her off. “Go be with your boyfriend, yah cradle robber.”

Aurora snorted as he playfully shoved her old friend before walking over to where Ignis was sitting.

  
  


It wasn’t long after that they arrived in Altissia. As soon as the boat was docked, Aurora was jumping off of it and running to the checkpoint but she and Noctis were stopped by a guard. “What brings you here today?” he questioned.

“Uhhh…” Aurora and Noctis looked at each other in a mild panic, then turned to Ignis. 

“Uh, Ignis?”

The advisor sighed. “Useless. Absolutely useless,” he mumbled before walking up to the guard station and spewing some romantic jargon about the sights and the food.

“Barf,” Aurora snorted. “What a nerd.”

“Hey,” Noctis elbowed her. “That’s  _ your _ nerd.”

The group made it through the checkpoint, Cid told the youngins that he’ll fend for himself and that they should go enjoy themselves before diving into the political part of the trip. Aurora wasn’t looking forward to any of the political stuff, and she was sure Noctis wasn’t too jazzed about it either, being the new King of Lucis since his father’s sudden passing. She decided to ignore the looming feeling of dread in favour of taking in the beautiful scenery.

“Wow!” Aurora scurried into the busy cobblestone street full of people. Flowers decorated the entire city, gondolas ferried people across the streets of water, there was music everywhere, and merchants were selling beautiful items at their little booths. “I forgot how beautiful this place is.”

“You been here before?” Gladio asked as he followed Aurora to a booth of flowers. 

“Probably. Many many years ago,” she shrugged. “Oooh, snapdragons.”

“Love,” Ignis got Aurora’s attention. “Why don’t I take you out on a date?”

Aurora was visibly taken aback by his statement. “A date?”

“We’ve never been on any official dates. Altissia seems the perfect place to start.”

“Not before you and I have a little friend date,” Gladio said as he slipped his arm around the healer’s shoulders. “Been a while since you and I had some bonding time.”

Aurora turned to Ignis, who merely shrugged with indifference. She turned back to Gladio, “Sure!”

The duo sauntered through the city, admiring the scenery and engaging in idle chatter. “Hey, check it out,” Gladio pointed to a large statue in the middle of a little plaza made of metal depicting what looked to be a narwhal. “You think it’s a statue of the Tide Mother?”

“That’s a whale,” Aurora pointed out. “But maybe that’s just one of many depictions of her, who am I to say?”

“Let’s get a closer look,” Gladio said as he began walking up to the statue.

“What’s this?” Aurora asked as she walked up to a small kiosk next to the large whale statue. The merchant explained that if you throw one of the paper birds into the mouth of the Tide Mother statue, your wish will come true. “Aww, that’s so cute and cheesy.”

“Wanna give it a shot?”

“Absolutely.”

The two friends scribbled their wishes onto their little paper birds before taking turns throwing them. Both Gladio and Aurora managed to get their paper birds into the mouth of the Tide Mother statue. “Nice one,” Gladio praised Aurora with a high five. 

“Thanks!” She smiled brightly. “That was...strangely exhilarating.”

“So, what’d you wish for?” Gladio elbowed his friend. “Wealth? A healthy family? A kick ass wedding?”

Aurora lightly shoved him. “I can’t tell you what I wished for. Isn’t that the superstition? You can’t tell anyone what you wished for or it won’t come true?”

“Yeah, and it’s super lame,” Gladio huffed. “Imma tell you mine.”

“But then it won’t come true!”

“I ain’t superstitious like you,” he said as he flicked her nose. 

“Not even a little stitious?” She giggled, rubbing her nose. He flicked her forehead. “Ahk!”

“Iggy’s rubbing off on you,” he sighed as they sat on the stairs close to the statue. “I wished to be able to protect you guys. To protect my family.”

“Oh, that’s embarrassing,” Aurora sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth. “Because I wished for you to fail.”

“You little rascal!” He quickly put her in a headlock and gave her a noogie. “I’ll teach you to wish for my failure!”

“Aaahh!! No! I was kidding!” Aurora cried. She screeched when the shield gave her a wet willy. “GLADIO!”

She finally managed to break free of his hold with a huff as she tried to fix her hair. “You are impossible,” she groaned.

“So, you gonna tell me what you really wished for?” The young shield asked as he helped Aurora fix her hair. 

The healer shifted as she looked out to see the sun setting behind the waterfalls. “I wished for a family,” she said quietly. “I know I have Dino but he’s off trying to make his own little family. It’s selfish but--”

“It’s not selfish,” Gladio interrupted as he brought her close. “You’ve wanted a family with your soulmate for centuries, right? You’ve waited long enough and you’ve got Iggy to help you out...and you’ve got me.”

“The brother I never wanted,” Aurora sighed forlornly.

“Hey, I’m trying to be sentimental, here!” Gladio scolded.

“I’m sorry,” she giggled.

“I know it’s not exactly what you wanted but we’re all family now. You, me, Iggy, Prompto, and Noct.”

“Huh. I never thought about it that way,” she laid her head on Gladio’s shoulder. “I guess I already had my wish.”

“And who knows,” Gladio put his arm around her shoulders to bring her even closer. “Maybe one day you and Iggy will have some kids and uncle Gladio will have to babysit.”

Aurora snorted a laugh, “Uncle Gladio better not spoil my kid rotten or I’m coming after him.”

“You think you can stop this?” He asked, flexing his muscles.

“I’ve taken you out before and I can do it again,” she challenged. 

Gladio nudged her. “Bring it on, sweetheart.”

“We should head to the hotel,” Aurora stated as she got up. “Crista promised me a date.”

“Be sure to get your own room for the night,” Glaido winked. 

“Hopefully the walls aren’t thin,” she giggled. 

“Yeah, no kidding, you’re fuckin’ loud,” Gladio laughed as they started making their way to the hotel, crossing bridges, going up and down sets of stairs to cross the small bodies of water that surrounded the city. “Hey, I know you didn’t want to talk to me about your sex life with Iggy but can you tell me what it’s like to fuck a soulmate?”

“Yeah, I’ve actually been wanting to talk about this!” Aurora’s face lit up as she began talking about her soulmate experiences. “So, it’s actually way more intense. There’s this nice tingly feeling and…” She continued to babble until they finally reached the hotel. 

“I don’t want to say that regular sex isn’t good, because it is. I was having normal sex for centuries and it’s amazing...but there’s just that  _ something _ that you can’t get anywhere else when you’re with your soulmate,” she placed her hands over her heart. “My soul has been shared with my reincarnations for millennia. Ignis is the same. When we’re together, it feels like we’re doing this dance that only we know. Two halves of a whole finally becoming one, if only for a brief moment.”

“Damn,” Gladio sniffed. “That’s enough to make a grown man cry.”

They found Ignis outside with Prompto as he took pictures of the scenery. He turned and smiled at the duo. “Hello, love.”

“Hey babe,” Gladio winked. Ignis gave an exasperated sigh as Aurora snorted a giggle. 

“I’m gonna go get changed, I’ll be right back,” Aurora waved as she scurried into the hotel. 

“You’re lucky,” Gladio said as he watched Aurora walk away. “I gotta get me a girl like that.”

“So long as it’s not mine then I wish you luck,” Ignis crossed his arms. 

“Can I at least steal a kiss?” Gladio hummed in a teasing manner.

“Absolutely not,” Ignis glared at his friend. 

“Aw, come on,” Gladio draped an arm around Ignis’s shoulders. “Just a little one?”

“Don’t test me, Gladio,” 

The young shield chuckled. “You’re cute when you’re angry.”

Ignis shrugged Gladio’s arm off of his shoulders. “I’m going to see if Aurora’s ready,” he said before walking into the hotel. 

Just as he was about to knock on the door of her hotel room, the door swung open. Aurora didn’t have enough time to react and ended up running into him. “Oof!” Her surprised yelp was muffled from being squished against Ignis’s chest. Instead of pulling away, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Hi Crista.”

“Hello Bug,” he chuckled. “Are you ready?” 

“Mhm!” She pushed herself away from him and he noticed she was wearing her teal dress, his pendant resting between her boobs as she idly played with it. It made Ignis a little flustered when he remembered the last time she wore the dress was when they had fucked outside, uncaring of the multitude of people that could have heard them. It was still wrinkled at the sides where Ignis had gripped the dress while she was bouncing on his cock. He blushed despite himself. Aurora waved her hand in front of the man, “Helloooo? Crista?”

He cleared his throat before offering his arm, “Shall we?” The healer smiled as she eagerly took the offer.

“Gods, this city is so beautiful,” Aurora said in a dreamy voice as she gazed all around her, spinning to try and take it all in at once. Her dress flared up as she spun.

“Breathtaking,” Ignis nodded, though his gaze was fixated on his spinning girlfriend.

The healer caught him staring and placed a hand on her hip, “You’re not even looking at the city,” she told him. 

“No, but I am looking at the most alluring individual on Eos,” Ignis walked up to his love and placed a hand on her waist, the other caressing her cheek. “I do believe you’ve bewitched me.”

“Ah, flattery from a handsome man,” Aurora hummed, idly playing with the buttons on the advisor’s shirt. “Do go on.”

“We would be here all night if I went on about how much I adore you,” he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear. 

“Then how about I tell you how much I love you instead?” She offered, unbuttoning the first couple of buttons on his shirt to reveal more of his collarbone. “Starting with this. Ooohh, baby.”

Ignis snorted a laugh. “I’ve been thinking,” he started as they continued to walk along the water. “After all this...what did you want to do?”

“Oh boy,” Aurora let out a hefty sigh. “I hadn’t really thought about it. I’ve been living in the moment like I always do…” she looked up at Ignis. “Obviously I want to spend a lot more time with you. Maybe help Dino with his jeweler dreams...? I don’t know. What about you?” She looked down at her hands as she rolled one of her fingers between her thumb and forefinger on the opposite hand.

Ignis thought for a moment, “What are your thoughts on starting another family?”

Aurora stopped walking to fully face Ignis. She could feel her face heating up. “Crista, are you asking if I want to have a baby with you?” 

“You mentioned wanting to have a biological child but that was many years ago,” he tucked her hair behind her ear again. “Is it still something you desire?”

“Absolutely,” she smiled brightly. “But you’re so young. You’re like...a young age.“ Aurora squished his face.

“You have no idea how old I actually am, do you?” His voice was full of amusement as he removed Aurora’s hands from his face. She looked away as she blushed. 

“I know that you’re over 18 because I wouldn’t have been able to know you were my soulmate otherwise,” she played with the fabric of her dress. “You’re...in your 20s…?”

The advisor raised an eyebrow as he placed a hand on his hip. “Are you sure?”

“Hey, don’t play this game with me,” she poked him in the chest a few times. “You’re incredibly mature for your age!”

“Which is…?”

“You’re...um...27?”

“That doesn’t sound right,” Ignis hummed. Aurora whined as she hid her face in his chest. 

“Just tell meeee,” she pleaded.

“I’m 22,” he said with a laugh. 

Aurora gasped. “You’re so young! Even physically, I’m so much older than you!”

“That didn’t seem to bother you before.”

“It didn’t...it doesn’t. I’m fine.” Aurora turned to see a free gondola waiting at the dock. “Oooou, let’s go!” She dragged Ignis onto the little boat before she continued their earlier conversation, “We should wait until everything calms down and you’re 100% ready, though.”

“Agreed,” he nodded. “Then I can start brushing up on my parenting knowledge.”

“I think you’d be a great dad,” Aurora slipped her hand into his, their fingers intertwined. “A little strict, maybe, but that’s what I’m here for.”

“I assume you’d also want to get married?”

Aurora hummed in acknowledgement as she watched the lamp light dance across the water. “That sounds nice. I’d love to get married again. I don’t remember my first one,” she ghosted her fingers over the ring finger on her opposite hand. “I wrote about it in an old journal, though.”

“I promise you that your next one will be a night to remember,” Ignis took her hand and kissed it. “No pressure on taking my last name.”

“I dunno, Aurora Scientia has a nice ring to it,” she smiled before gasping loudly. “Science Bug!!”

Ignis groaned at her sudden shrieking, placing a finger close to his ear. “Yes, it’s very quaint,” he paused for a moment. “What was your maiden name?”

“My...maiden name…” Aurora looked away in thought. “I...I don’t know.”

“Ah,” Ignis looked away sheepishly. “My apologies for bringing it up.”

Aurora giggled, “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I wrote about it somewhere…” she trailed off, trying to think of where she put all of her old journals. “But enough about me,” she slipped her arm into his. “I obviously don’t know enough about you, today is a day to learn. Starting with your favourite colour!”

  
  


After their little date, Aurora walked into the hotel room and wasn’t surprised to see a small table with a couple bottles of wine. “Keeping the tradition?” She asked with a smile. 

“Of course,” Ignis said as he walked over to the wine and popped the cork. 

Aurora walked over to the nightstand by the bed. There was a remote she picked up to turn the tv on. “Kupoflix,” she hummed with a smile. “We could watch someth--” she stopped when she felt Ignis wrap his arms around her waist. She let her head fall back onto his shoulder, giving him access to her neck. He began kissing her neck lightly. She moaned, “Mmm Ignis.”

“Yes, love?” He whispered, continuing to pepper kisses down her neck. 

“Is there something you’re in the mood for?” The healer asked with a cheeky smile. She gasped when the top half of her dress fell once Ignis pulled the string holding it up. He slipped her dress the rest of the way down so it pooled at her feet, leaving her in only a little lacey pair of undies. 

“Perhaps,” he mumbled into her shoulder as he fondled her boobs. 

“Tell me what you want,” she breathed, leaning into his touch.

“I want to make love to you,” he whispered as his hands began to roam. “I want to take my time worshipping every inch of you.”

Aurora turned to face him, biting her lip seductively as she began unbuttoning his shirt. “Then we should get you out of these clothes, hm?” She slipped his shirt off of his shoulders and let it fall to the floor with her dress. 

Ignis kissed Aurora softly, pushing her gently onto the bed. “You are a vision,” he breathed, his fingers trailing down her skin.

“Where are you going?” She giggled as he continued to migrate south.

“Somewhere I can pleasure you properly,” he replied in a low voice. He hooked his fingers into her panties and slipped them off, adding them to the growing pile of clothes on the floor, before dipping his head between her legs. 

“Ah!” Aurora threw her head back in pleasure as Ignis slid his tongue in and out of her already dripping core. “Ah, Ignis--fuck! Don’t--don’t stop!”

Ignis continued to eat her out until the healer was a stuttering mess. Writhing around as he kept her hips anchored to the bed, her soft mewls and mutterings of his name spurring him to keep going until she grabbed a fistful of his hair as she came with a loud moan. Ignis slipped a couple fingers inside of her and curled them upwards into her sensitive patch, fingering her through her orgasm. 

“Ignis,” she breathed once she came down from her high, beckoning him to come closer. He crawled up to her and she brought him in for a heated kiss, moaning when she tasted herself on his lips. “Please. Make love to me.”

“As you wish, darling,” he whispered on her lip as he pushed into her, swallowing her moans of pleasure with another searing kiss. 

He began slowly thrusting into her, whispering sweet praise between kisses, “My darling. My love. My treasure.” He thumbed over her lips, now kiss-swollen and slick with saliva. She brought her hand up and stroked his cheek. The advisor leaned into her touch, kissing the palm of her hand. “One day I hope to call you my wife.”

“Once everything has calmed down,” she paused to revel in the feeling of him inside of her as he kept his slow pace. “I’d love nothing more than to be your wife.”

Ignis moaned lowly at Aurora’s words, his pace quickening. “I love you, Aurora.”

“I love you, Ignis.”

Aurora had become putty in Ignis’s arms. Her stamina began to run low but was adamant to continue. Ignis could tell she was growing tired. “How are you fairing, love?” He asked as he peppered kisses along her jawline. 

“Call me kitten,” she moaned.

“Oh, you like that, kitten?” He hummed against her skin. 

“Yes, sir,” she whispered. Ignis’s breath hitched at the word.  _ Sir _ . “Don’t think I didn’t notice how you reacted the first time I tried that out,” Aurora giggled as she ran her nails down the advisor’s back, prompting him to groan loudly. 

He pulled out abruptly, his love letting out a needy whine from his absence inside of her and outstretching her arms in an attempt to reach him. “On your hands and knees,” he demanded. 

Aurora shivered at his tone and happily complied. “Yes, sir.”

“Such a good kitten,” he praised as he lined himself up with her heat before thrusting into her. 

He lifted her upper body to be flush against his as he continued to thrust into her, kissing her neck and leaving marks on her skin. "Perhaps we could start trying for a baby right now?" He purred in her ear. 

Though Aurora knew he was teasing, she couldn't help the heat that washed over her. She definitely had a breeding kink. During the many years of not being able to have a child but wanting it so badly, it started to become one of her biggest turn-ons. "Fuck, Ignis. If you keep talking like that I'll cum again."

"Oh?" He smirked. "Does the thought of getting pregnant with my child turn you on?"

"Ah!" Aurora cried out as Ignis thrust into her hard. "Yes! I want your baby!"

"You'll have to beg for it."

Aurora was absolutely going to slap him later but in the moment she couldn’t help but comply with a needy whine, "Please!"

“Please what?”

Aurora growled, which only made Ignis chuckle. “Please, sir.”

“You’ll have to beg a little harder than that, kitten.” He slowed his thrusting to a torturous pace. It nearly made her sob.

“Please, Ignis! I need your baby. I’ve wanted this for so long! Please!”

Ignis pushed her face into the mattress before pounding into her at an unrelenting pace. 

  
  


Aurora gazed at herself in the mirror. Still no physical sign of aging, just the afterglow of getting a good fuck. She wondered just how long it was going to take for something like that to happen. Being physically 25 meant she was still very young. Her fingers trailed down to her lower abdomen and circled where her womb would be. “I know you’re old but please work for me,” she whispered.

She walked out of the bathroom and saw a still very naked Ignis pouring wine. She hummed as she admired him. “The gods have truly blessed me,” she sighed happily.

“I could say the same,” Ignis smiled and handed her a glass of wine. “Cheers.”

“To Kupoflix, wine, and good company,” Aurora sighed happily. “I never want this moment to end.”

But, of course, it had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry holidays! I hope everyone's staying safe and healthy :)


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Big Sad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for Episode Ignis!  
> I tried to make some of it vague for anyone who hasn't seen or played it but I can't do that for the end, sorry!

Aurora was stationed with Gladio as Lady Lunafreya made her big speech to the people of Altissia. She wasn’t well versed in the Nox Fleuret family as much as she should have been, considering they were close to the Lucis Caelum family and all. But she was very bitter about the fact that she was constantly overshadowed by the healing powers of the Oracle. All she knew was that she was to be wed to Noctis. It was supposed to be to bring peace between the warring lands, but Niflheim had pulled a fast one and ended up killing King Regis and taking over whatever was left of the crown city of Insomnia.

She was eventually told by Ignis that the reason they were traveling was to get the Royal Arms, be blessed by the Gods, and reclaim the throne. Lunafreya was to awaken the Tide Mother Leviathan after her speech. To say the healer was nervous was an understatement. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears since she woke up that morning.

Aurora had Gladio weave her hairpin into the back of her braids. It took him a while that morning since her hair was so short but managed to get it to stay in without falling out. If there was a time to have an increase in magic, it would be now. She began chewing on the chain of Ignis’s skull pendant nervously.

Gladio caught her nervous action. “You ready for this, Rore?” He nudged the healer, taking her out of her thoughts. 

“Ah,” it took her a moment to come back to reality. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Hey,” Gladio could sense her unease as she continued to chew on the pendant and rubbed her arm affectionately. “You got this, kiddo.”

Suddenly, Leviathan, the Goddess of the Sea, was summoned. In the blink of an eye, everything changed. 

The healer couldn’t remember what had happened between Leviathan being summoned and her current situation. There was water everywhere, things were thrown, and people were running to safety. The city was in shambles and her head hurt. She reached up and saw blood once she pulled her hand back. “Urk,” she managed to pull herself up from the ground. “Gladio!!” There was no answer to her call. She tried again. “Gladio! Where are you!?”

“Poor little Aurora,” a voice drawled behind her. She turned to see Ardyn smiling at her from a short distance. “All alone?”

“What do you want?” She sneered.

“You automatically assume I want something?” He started walking toward her. Aurora began backing up to keep the distance between them. “You wound me, my dear.”

“What do you want?” She repeated in a harsher tone.

“I’ve heard stories about you,” he paused for a moment, keeping his pace as he continued to walk toward Aurora. “The immortal woman.”

“Lies.”

“Oh, my sources come straight from the horse’s mouth,” he chided as he brought up a small black book. The cover read ‘Aurora Denond: Volume 87’.

“My journal!” She gasped. “Where did you get that?”

“An interesting read, to say the least,” Ardyn flipped through a few of the pages, “I’ve read the whole series. The main character really starts to fall apart close to volume 60.”

“Give it back!” She growled but was still wary to approach him. 

“ _ ‘Today I have made my final decision _ ’,” Ardyn began reading from the journal. “ _ ‘It’s too much. I have decided this will be my final year in the realm of the living. Lifetimes have passed and I have gained nothing. I want to die. I need to die.’  _ Brings a tear to my eye.”

“Why are you doing this?”

Ardyn closed the book and looked Aurora in the eye. “I have also lived a very long time. It would be wise, on my part, to employ someone who won't die on me--”

“No.”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Ardyn sighed. “How rude.”

“Whatever you’re planning, the answer is no!” Aurora distracted the man with a rock before she ran into the debris of the city and used her strong hiding ability to keep herself hidden from Ardyn’s view. 

“Pity,” Ardyn sighed again. “I suppose we’ll continue this conversation later.”

Once she knew the Chancellor was gone, she began making her way through the half destroyed city. Dodging MTs and mechs when she could and fighting through the mobs she wasn’t able to run from. An hour of this led to her hiding under a fallen building to catch her breath. 

She heard voices and peeked out to see Ignis and a man she recognized as Ravus, Lunafreya’s older brother, having an argument. 

“AH!” Aurora jumped out from the debris and attacked Ravus.

“Aurora!?” Ignis was surprised to see his girlfriend jump out of nowhere. It took him a moment of the two fighting to get his bearings. “Aurora, wait!” He finally intervened, taking Aurora away from the white haired man. 

“Barbaric woman,” Ravus muttered, dusting off his coat. “You would do well to learn some manners.”

“You wanna go, you Tenebraen asshat?” Aurora wiggled in Ignis’s grasp. “I’ll fuck you up!”

“We’re on the same side!” Ignis tried to reason with her. 

“What!?” Aurora stopped thrashing as Ignis let her go. She turned to him as she pointed at Ravus with one of her daggers, “How could you be on the same side as this...nerd.”

“Your words, much like your existence, means nothing to me,” Ravus scoffed.

“Don’t test me, cyborg man,” Aurora’s voice grew dark. “I may be a healer but I can fuck you up.” Ravus merely scoffed at her words and proceeded to ignore her.

“Love,” Ignis walked over to Aurora and examined her wounds. “You’re looking a little rough. Are you running out of magic?”

“No, I’m okay,” she reassured him. “Just trying to conserve my energy.”

“Here,” Ignis gave her an elixir.

“Thank you,” Aurora smiled, bringing her love in for a kiss. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”

“Repulsive,” Ravus muttered under his breath. Aurora’s eye twitched.

“Maybe if you got laid you wouldn’t be such a wet blanket,” she sneered in Ravus’s direction.

“Must I continue to repeat that your words mean nothing to me?” The white haired man huffed. “What Ardyn sees in you, I may never know.”

Aurora gripped Ravus’s arm and pulled him to fully face her. “What does he want with me?” Her voice was low as to not alert Ignis as he scouted the area.

“Command his armies, perhaps?” Ravus ripped his arm out of her grip. “He hadn’t told me details. Only that you would be an important asset, should you choose to follow him.”

“Hah!” Aurora laughed out loud. “Well, he’s a fucking idiot for thinking I would ever do such a thing. And the man says he’s done his homework. What a joke.”

There was tension in the air as the group travelled through the city. They needed to find the altar where Lady Lunafreya had summoned the Goddess of the Sea. They were sure to find her and the prince there. Aurora was much more on edge than usual, looking behind her and slowly rounding corners to make sure Ardyn wasn’t following her. “Cease your unease,” Ravus said in a commanding tone. 

“Bitch, I don’t answer to you,” Aurora growled. 

“Manners,” Ignis mumbled, nudging his girlfriend. 

“Whatever, let’s just go find Noct and this lamewad’s sister, or whatever,” Aurora huffed before walking fasted to scout ahead. 

“It would be wise to choose a different partner,” Ravus said quietly to Ignis.

“I won’t be accepting relationship advice from the likes of you,” he replied. “Aurora may seem brash but she is much more than what you are currently witnessing.”

“I find that hard to believe,” the commander mumbled as he watched Aurora tread carefully in front of them. “The records tell me she’s much older than she appears. I do hope you are aware.”

Ignis snorted. “What can I say,” he shrugged, crossing his arms. “I like older women.”

Ignis and Ravus made their way to the altar but Aurora was stopped when she heard a familiar voice.

“Hey!!” She heard the familiar voice cry. She turned around to see Gladio running toward her. 

“Gladio!” She ran to meet him halfway, throwing her arms around his neck. “I was so worried about you!”

“Don’t worry, Rory,” he hugged her back. “I’m here.”

Something didn’t sit well with the healer. Something about his touch felt foreign and the way he spoke to her just wasn’t right. As a split second decision, she flipped a dagger into her hand and stabbed him in the back. 

With a loud cry, Gladio pushed her away, the dagger still embedded into his shoulder. “What the hell Rory?”

“Gladio doesn’t call me Rory,” Aurora furrowed her brow. “Show me your face.”

“My my,” Gladio’s attitude immediately changed from anger to contented amusement. “What a perceptive woman, you are.” His appearance changed back into Ardyn.

“I’m not letting you get anywhere near Noct,” Aurora said as she readied herself to fight with her one remaining dagger.

“That’s not your call to make,” Ardyn hummed.

In a split second he appeared only inches from her face. “Wha?”

“I hope you know how to swim.” Before Aurora could move or say anything in retaliation, Ardyn’s foot made contact with her abdomen. The impact sent her flying a good distance before falling into the water with a hearty splash.

  
  


“Aurora?” Ignis pondered out loud, noticing she wasn’t with them. His worry for Aurora immediately turned to worry for Noct when he saw the young prince laying on the ground next to Lunafreya at the broken altar not far ahead. “Noct!”

A bright glowing light from Lunafryea faded, leading him to believe that she had healed him with her last breath.

“No…” Ravus pleaded quietly as he looked down at his lifeless sister. He stood for a moment to steady his breathing before he spoke again. “First, the Lucians stole from me my mother…” He unsheathed his sword. “And now they make a sacrifice of my sister!”

He was about to strike at the unconscious prince but Ignis intervened, their blades clashing. “Get out of my way!” Ravus demanded. 

“What are you doing?”

“What I should have done long ago: ridding us of this menace!” He replied, trying to use brute force to get past Ignis. The advisor was strong and pushed Ravus away, their blades continuing to clash. “Stand in my way and you, too, shall meet the same fate: death!” Ravus yelled at Ignis.

“Come to your senses, man!” Ignis cried but it was no use. Ravus was angry and grieving from the loss of his beloved sister.

Aurora emerged from the water with a loud gasp, her lungs filling with air. She had taken the feeling of breathing for granted once more as the harsh waves threw her against some rocks. 

She managed to grab hold of some of the rocks to catch her breath. She could hear the clashing of metal in the distance and looked out to find Ignis and Ravus in the middle of an intense sword fight. Sparks were flying and there was a lot of yelling.

She tried to call out to them but her voice was swallowed by the wave that came crashing down on her and washed her away to sea once more.

The men were exhausted and the fight was over.

“I always knew…” Ravus spoke as he walked to his sister. “That you would face your fate without fear, fulfill your duty without regret. But…” he knelt down next to her, “part of me always hoped...that I might see you happy one day. Your burdens lifted, free to live and love as you please. You would have made a beautiful bride.”

Ignis watched as Ravus lifted Lunafreya into his arms. “Even in death, the Oracle does not rest. Only once the darkness is dispelled is her calling truly fulfilled,” the silver haired man continued as his sister’s body began to glow, her body fading away. Ignis turned to see a ghostly apparition of the Oracle floating over the water near them once her body had completely dissipated. “And, as in life, I know she will confront that challenge with a smile on her face,” Ravus lifted himself from the ground and reached out to the glowing figure. “Oh sister, please don’t go! Please don’t leave me...” He fell to his knees and cried as the figure slowly faded away.

Even after everything, Ignis felt pity for the man. Knowing Noct was still alive but at the cost of the Oracle’s life. He knelt down to check on Noct and found him to be fine for the time being. 

“Iggy!!” He heard Gladio’s voice and quickly got back onto his feet.

“Gladio!” He called out as he saw his friend running toward him. “Are you alright? Where’s Prompto?”

Gladio seemed distracted as he ignored Ignis’s questions and stared at Ravus, who was still on his knees and grieving over the loss of his only family. “Well, well,” Gladio sauntered over to Ravus. “What have we here?”

As he summoned his weapon to attack the grieving man, Ravus was quick to react and blocked the attack. “You…” he growled at the tattooed man. “Ardyn!”

“Oh dear,” Gladio drawled. “Was I that transparent?” Everything happened so quickly. Ardyn’s illusion faded, an army of MTs rushed onto the scene, and Ignis was subdued and pinned to the ground. “The game’s up, my boy,” Ardyn said as he looked down at Ignis before knocking him out with his boot.

He woke to the same scene playing out before him. Still pinned to the ground at the ruined altar, Noctis unconscious, and now Ardyn was crouched in front of him with one of Aurora’s daggers in hand. “Nhg, where did you get that?” He growled. “Where’s Aurora?”

“Hiding from me, no doubt,” Ardyn hummed as he admired the dagger. “Left this lovely gift wedged in my back. Who knew someone coming in so late to my games would cause me so much stress and intrigue. She will be easy to convert. A few simple mind games will make her easy to crack.”

“You’re wrong!” Ignis struggled against the MTs that were still pinning him down. “She is loyal to the King!”

“Come now. Why not follow your liege’s lead and stop resisting?”

“Never!” He spat.

“You and that healer risked life and limb to safeguard the ‘King of Kings’,” Adryn sighed as he got up and made his way to Noctis. “Only to witness him fail so spectacularly. You must be so disappointed.”

“Unhand him!” Ignis demanded.

“I know  _ I  _ am,” the Chancellor continued. “Oh, what good is a world that only ever lets you down? Why not end it all right here?” Ardyn flipped the dagger in his hand, kneeling down next to Noctis.

“No...you can’t!” Ignis cried as Ardyn lifted the dagger to strike the prince. “Noooct!”

Before Ardyn was able to kill Noctis, a dagger was thrown at him, stopping his action. He turned to see Aurora panting and heaving nearby, water dripping down her form, her arm still outstretched from when she threw the dagger. 

“For someone who claims to be apathetic and seeking death, you sure do care an awful lot,” Ardyn turned to face Aurora. “Though facing me like this suggests your outlook on death is rather the same.”

“People change,” she said as she readied her second pair of daggers.

“Hmm, was it because of a certain  _ someone _ ?” Ardyn hummed as he looked down at Ignis struggling on the ground. “Pity you’ve fallen into the cliché of needing a man to change you. I was rooting for you. Truly, I was.” 

“It’s not a need,” Aurora rolled her eyes. “I’m perfectly capable on my own.”

“Then I can safely dispose of him, then?” The Chancellor challenged.

“Touch him and you die,” the healer warned as she stepped forward. 

“Aurora…” Ignis’s voice was small as he watched the scene play out.

“And just how do you plan on killing an immortal?” Ardyn chided with a smirk.

“Stay a while and you’ll find out.”

“Then let’s begin, shall we?” Ardyn slowly made his way over to Aurora, a certain swagger in his step. “I believe introductions are in order, lest you have forgotten. What, with your...memory issues. Izunia. Ardyn Izunia.”

“I know who you are.”

The man smiled, ignoring Aurora’s statement. “Aurora Denond. The Solar Wind. It’s a pleasure to officially make your acquaintance,” he smirked as he circled her. “You seem to always be getting in my way. It’s time I repay the favour.”

“You make it sound like you know everything about me but I bet you’re just full of shit,” Aurora snorted.

“Oh, but I’ve done my research, remember?” He threw the journal out to her, the book falling at her feet. “You don’t seem to make any effort in covering your tracks, opting to let everyone grow old and die around you as a means of forgetting your existence and pretending to be your own mother,” the man shrugged as he spoke. “You’re close with the Lucis Caelum family, that I’m sure. You’re here because of a debt...a daughter. Ah, and let’s not forget your declining mental health that gets worse with every death you experience.”

“Shut up,” Aurora warned.

“And you’re a healer,” Adryn spat. “That leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.”

“Not my fault you don’t like healers,” Aurora shrugged.

“Ah, but the Oracle is so much more of a healer, wouldn’t you say?” Ardyn smiled in a challenging manner.

“Low blow,” Aurora frowned. “Don’t use my journal shit against me.”

“That’s the whole point of this game, my dear,” Ardyn masterfully flipped the dagger in his hand. 

“Fine!” Aurora scoffed. “I’ll admit to you that I was unaging for centuries.”

“Was?” Ardyn repeated with a disappointed scowl. “A poor choice of words?”

“No. My unaging nature was eradicated once the right conditions were met,” she explained. The Chancellor somehow managed to get behind her without being noticed.

“Ah, I see,” Ardyn grabbed Aurora by the throat and raised her up into the air, getting a good look at the wounds now littering her body. “You’re not a true immortal. What a disappointment.”

“I’m still over 200 years old,” Aurora groaned through gritted teeth. 

Ardyn laughed. “200? Try living for 2,000,” he drawled.

“Why are you trying so hard to get me to be on your side? You’re spiteful and corrupt and...hateful.” Aurora was beginning to struggle, clawing at the arm that kept her suspended in the air with a very limited airflow.

“And heinous, malevolent, malicious, and nefarious. I could go on but what’s another synonym,” he chuckled lowly as he let Aurora go. He let her finish her coughing fit before continuing. “Once I take my rightful place, I will need someone to join me. Someone just as spiteful and corrupt with a tendency to stay youthful just as I,” he said as he paced around, playing with the dagger the healer had stabbed him with earlier. 

“I already told you my curse was broken. I’m useless to you,” she said as she rubbed her neck, getting back onto her feet. “Like I’d ever willingly go with you after all this.”

“It doesn’t take a genius to figure out how to get you back to your original unaging state,” he made a general motion toward where the boys were being held. Ignis was still struggling under the grasp of the MTs. “I have read your books after all,” he flipped Aurora’s dagger in his hand. “What’s one more soulmate lost?”

Ardyn threw the dagger in Ignis’s direction. Aurora was quick to act, shielding the attack with her body, the dagger embedding itself into her hand.

“Aurora!” Ignis cried. The advisor’s voice was just white noise as Aurora stared down at the hand that was impaled. Flashes of her time in Costlemark Tower flooded her mind. She was trapped in that maze again. She was going to be sexually assaulted. She felt vulnerable, weak, and desperate. The healer barely registered that Ardyn had walked up to her. His appearance changing between the black haired man from the tower and himself as Aurora tried to keep her sanity in check. She heard Ignis yelling her name. 

“It would seem I hit a nerve,” Adryn mused. He pulled out another dagger. “Let’s complete the picture, shall we?”

He lifted the dagger above his head before forcefully bringing it down on Aurora. Out of instinct, she lifted her other hand to block the attack. She dagger pierced through her hand, giving her matching wounds. The trauma was too much for her, so much was happening. She needed to protect her boys and she needed to stop Ardyn.

So she stopped fighting it and snapped.

The healer’s eyes went dark as her mind went blank, her fight or flight instinct kicking in. She was going to fight and she was going to fight hard. She ripped the daggers from her hands. “I’m taking these back,” she growled.

Instead of being frightened by her sudden change in attitude, Ardyn seemed delighted. “Ah,” he gasped with a hint of excitement. “There’s the menace I’ve been looking for.”

Full of adrenaline, Aurora managed to throw Ardyn over her shoulder and ram him into a nearby wall. “You’re a fucking creep,” Aurora said as she pulled out the blades she got from the tower. “You know what I did with the last creep I was acquainted with? You’re so diligent with your homework, after all.”

“Your books say you nearly gutted the man,” Ardyn smiled as black ooze dripped from the wound on his head. 

“And I’ll do the same to you if you don’t get away from my friends,” the healer warned but her warnings were only met with a chuckle from the Chancellor. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s just amusing watching you try to be menacing,” the man chuckled again. “Watching your mental descent has been quite a fascinating look into the human psyche.”

“Shut up!” She stabbed the man multiple times in the stomach. She kicked him down and quickly strummed a few strings on her lyre before firing a strong lightning spell at the man.

Her spell should have fried and killed him but Ardyn only smiled as he got up from the ground, dusting off the dirt from his coat as if nothing had happened. Enraged, Aurora ran at him, tackling and pinning him to the ground. “Why won’t you just die?” She screamed. She realised that question was one she didn’t want answered so she yelled out at him again, “And why won’t you fight back!?”

“Why fight back when my words do so much more damage?”

She punched him in the face. Instead of blood, black goo coated her fist as she kept smashing it into Ardyn’s face. “Shut up!!”

She was about to punch him again but Ardyn caught her wrist. “Taking your anger out on me is all well and good but it will get you nowhere in the long run,” he said as he sat up. With his face mere inches from hers, Aurora could see the Star Scourge dripping from his eyes and mouth as well as his nose from the damage she caused. Flashes of Gili being infected plagued her mind, her small cries as her mother desperately tried to heal her, to take the pain away. Ardyn grabbed her by the throat once more, "Let’s have some fun, hm? What would happen if you made a very sudden impact with a wall? Let's see what the outcome would be, shall we?"

Aurora was thrown against a slab of stone. The deafening sound of multiple bones breaking vibrated in her ears. The bones, however, began healing quickly enough to not cause any lasting damage. 

“Hm?” Ardyn cocked his head. “Ah, I see. You began healing yourself before getting injured. Very quick thinking.”

“D-don’t patronize me,” Aurora growled as she hobbled to her feet. She could tell she had a concussion. No amount of healing would have stopped her brain from rattling around in her skull on impact with the wall. She needed to finish him quickly but even after quickly healing herself, Aurora was still in very rough shape. A quick retreat was the way to go before she could dive in again.

With all her strength, Aurora threw one of the daggers she took from Ardyn in his direction. The weapon managed to distract him long enough for her to disappear from his view with her bard ability to hide incredibly well.

“You can’t hide from me for long, my dear,” Ardyn called out. Aurora breathed heavily as she continued to hide from view of the chancellor, crushing an elixir in her hands to absorb its essence.

Ignis could no longer hear a scuffle or Aurora’s voice. He began to fear the worst and tried to break free from the MTs but it was still no use. “Aurora!!” He called out desperately. Ardyn came into view with a sly smirk and Ignis’s heart dropped. 

“Now, where were we?” Ardyn drawled as he sauntered over to where the boys were. “Ah yes. Killing the both of yo--” Before he could finish his sentence, a dagger was thrown and sunk into the back of his skull. “Ah, there you are, my dear.” He fell forward with a hearty thud.

The MTs surrounding the area were swiftly killed, finally freeing Ignis from their hold. As he got up, he could see Aurora picking something up off of the ground. He paid it no mind as he embraced her. “I thought I lost you, darling,” he whispered into her damp hair. She pulled away from the embrace to push Ignis’s hair out of his eyes.

“Not yet,” she attempted a smile but it turned into a pained wince from the residual pain of being thrown against a wall.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she waved off the pain and turned to Noctis, who was still unconscious on the ground. “We need to get Noct to safety.”

“Oh, I can’t let you do that,” Ardyn drawled behind them. 

“Ignis,” Aurora turned to face Ardyn just as he ripped the dagger from the back of his head. His eyes were pitch black and dripping with the Star Scourge. “Get Noct out of here.”

“You can’t be serious,” his eyes widened. “You can’t fight him alone!”

“I can with a little help,” she opened her palm to reveal the Ring of the Lucii. Putting on the ring while not being part of the royal bloodline was a death wish, but she needed a surefire way of getting rid of Ardyn. If she could just win over the Lucii's favour for a few minutes...

“Don’t do this, Bug,” Ignis pleaded quietly. 

“I’ve lived long enough to see myself become multiple different versions of who I was originally,” Aurora readied to place the ring on her finger. “This version of me will be the last.”  
Before she could put the ring on she felt something hard hit the back of her head. Her vision blurred as she fell to the ground.

“I’m not letting you do this,” she heard Ignis’s voice. She saw his blurred figure pick up the ring that fell from her hand. “The two of you are mine to protect.”

“Ah, the lovers are fighting for the right to save their little prince,” Ardyn hummed. “How sickening.”

“We swore an oath to stand with Noct and keep him safe,” Ignis huffed, bringing the ring up. “Whatever it takes, I will protect him!”

And then, he put on the ring.

Ignis screamed as a flash of light blinded everyone around him. Adryn wasn’t even phased. “Ah, ah, ahh. I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Aurora watched as a magic purple flame engulfed the hand he had put the ring. The same magic flame could be seen burning from his left eye and both of his irises were pink, much like when Noctis uses the power of his royal bloodline.

"N-no…" Aurora tried to reach out to him but couldn’t keep consciousness and passed out.

  
  


Aurora woke, still on the ground from when Ignis had knocked her unconscious. She pushed herself off of the ground, her legs wobbly. She blinked multiple times before her eyes could adjust and focus. She could see bodies lying on the ground not far from her.

“Fuck,” she groaned, her head pounding from both her concussion and Ignis knocking her out. She took small steps forward, trying not to fall over from dizziness. Once her eyes finally focused, she could see who was on the ground. “Oh no. Noct! Ignis!”

She tried running but her knees buckled under her and she fell onto the cold, wet stone beneath her. She pushed herself up again but instead tried crawling her way over to them. Her vision blurred with tears as she finally got to Noctis. “Please, don’t be dead,” she sobbed. She placed her head on his chest and heard a low heartbeat. She checked his vitals just to be sure. He was alive. 

She tried to reach for her lyre but realised it was back where she had got up. “Damnit,” she clenched her teeth in frustration but shook the feeling away and placed her hands on Noctis’ chest. “You don’t need the lyre, you are the one who has magic. You can do it.”

_ Just breathe. _

With a low hum, she began to heal any wounds Noctis still had. She took a moment to clutch her head as a loud ringing began. “Uhhhggg,” she groaned, waiting for the ringing to stop. Next, she crawled over to Ignis. He was looking much worse than Noctis, sporting a new wound over his left eye. “Come on, Ignis. I’m not losing you again!” She checked his vitals. He was alive. She started healing his wounds but the ones over his eye didn’t seem to want to heal. “W-what? Why isn’t this working?”

She tried again and failed. “Come on!!”

She tried a third time and started to feel dizzy. She kept going. “You died prematurely because of me 200 years ago. I’m not going to let that happen again! Wake up!!” She could barely keep her eyes open any longer, her breathing becoming incredibly laboured. “Ignis…”

She blacked out just as she heard Gladio’s voice in the distance.

  
  


Aurora awoke with a start, lifting herself up in a panic. The room began to spin and she immediately fell back into something soft. She felt around and figured out she was in a bed. She lifted herself again, slower that time, and looked around the room. 

It seemed to be one of the hotels in Altissia. The sun was out and it didn’t seem to be raining any longer. She wondered how long it had been since the tragedy with the Sea Goddess. She prayed that after everything, Noctis was able to forge the covenant with her.

“You’re awake,” she heard a voice not far. She turned to find Ignis sitting at the edge of the second bed beside hers. He was looking down at the floor, not meeting her gaze. 

“Oh, Ignis!” Aurora threw the covers off of her body and ran to him. Her whole body ached but she ignored the pain in favour of embracing her love. Ignis made almost no movement as she held him close. “You’re alive! I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so worried about you!” He didn’t respond or hug her back. 

Worried, Aurora pulled back. “Ignis?” She tried to get a good look at him but with his head hanging and his hair down, she couldn’t see much. “Ignis, honey, look at me.” She lifted his head so he could meet her gaze. Her heart shattered. 

He still had the large wound across his left eye but what really crushed the healer was the fact that his eyes were no longer their beautiful shade of green but a clouded blueish grey. He couldn’t meet her gaze, looking only in her general direction. “Oh no,” her voice was small and meek as she waved her hand in front of his face. He didn’t even register it was there. “Ignis, baby,” she cupped his face, her voice shaky and catching in her throat. “Can you see me?”

There was a long pause. She could see tears well up in his eyes. 

“No.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who else cried when they played Episode Ignis? Because I did.  
> Stay tuned for more Big Sad Hours TM


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favourite chapters purely based on the level of emotion there is. Everyone is going through something and are all coping in very different ways. Grief is a hard pill to swallow.
> 
> Warning!  
> This chapter contains severe PTSD episodes and self mutilation/self harm

A haunting melody filled the train cart as the group rode to their new destination.

“Anything?” Aurora asked desperately as she plucked away at her lyre. Ignis shook his head, the light outside of the train cart reflecting off of his sunglasses. While the song was beautiful, it didn’t help return his sight. “H-how about now?” Aurora changed the tune of her song, faltering as her hands began to tremble.

“Aurora--”

“No, I can fix this!” Aurora cried as she continued to play. Ignis reached out to her, feeling his way to the hand that was holding the lyre.

“Aurora, I beg of you. Rest,” Ignis pleaded. Aurora stopped playing and set her lyre down with a loud sob.

“I just want to be able to heal you,” She whispered, wiping away her tears. “What good am I if I can’t heal people? That’s my whole purpose. I’m the Lady of Healing! Physical wounds are the things I’m supposed to be good at!”

“Hush,” Ignis took one of her hands in both of his. “You took away all of the pain. That’s more than anyone else could do.”

“It’s not enough.”

It had been several weeks since the tragedy in Altissia. Try as she might, Aurora continued and failed to heal Ignis of his lost sight. Every day, she exhausted all of her energy in trying to get at least a little closer to finally getting him to see again. He kept telling her that it will just take time but she wouldn’t listen. 

She had begun to feel terrible in the last few days, physically exhausted, and sometimes nauseous. She got headaches sometimes but they were at least less frequent. Not to mention she couldn’t handle the smell of foods she normally enjoys. She figured she was getting sick and chalked it up to the amount of energy she kept using. Either way, sickness was undesirable, especially while traveling.

Noctis sat alone, looking out of the window forlornly. He wasn’t taking the death of Lady Lunafreya well. He wanted to stop in Tenebrae for her and the group had agreed to make the pitstop before continuing to Gralea. Gladio had been quiet the whole train ride but suddenly got up from his seat and walked over to Noctis.

“The hell is wrong with you?” Gladio asked.

Noctis looked up at Gladio slowly, “What?”

“We’re not stopping in Tenebrae,” he said. “You need to grow up and get over it.”

That hurt. Aurora began to shake. Flashbacks flowing through her mind. The multitudes of deaths she witnessed, the people she couldn’t save. Get over it? How could anyone get over something like that?

Noctis stood from his seat and approached Gladio in a challenging manner. “I am over it. I’m here, aren’t I?”

Gladio grabbed the collar of his shirt, “Maybe when you’re not too busy moping, you can look around and give a shit about someone worse off than you.”

Aurora began scratching at her arm with reckless abandon. She could feel her nails piercing the skin. She didn’t stop.

“Let go of me,” Noctis demanded.

“How’s that ring fit you? You’d rather carry it around than wear it?” Gladio sneered. “She gave her life so you could do your duty, not so you could sit around feeling sorry for yourself.”

“You don’t think I know that--”

“You don’t!” Gladio roared. “Aurora was nearly killed twice, she’s practically catatonic now! Ignis took one for you, too, and for what?”

“Enough, Gladio!” Ignis finally interjected but Gladio seemed to just ignore him.

“You think you’re a king, but you’re a coward!” 

“Shut up!”

“Don’t do this--” Prompto tried to get between them but Gladio just pushed him aside.

“I get it, alright?” Noctis pushed away from Gladio. “I get it!”

“Then get your head out of your ass already!”

Noctis stormed off, making his way to another cart.

“Noct!” Prompto called out.

“Leave him.” 

Reluctantly, Prompto went back to sitting across from Ignis but immediately noticed something was wrong. “Oh gods,” he gasped, getting Ignis’ attention. Aurora had scratched a large hole into her arm where her scar usually was. Blood soaking her clothes and the hand she was still using to scratch her now open wound. “R-Rory!!”

“What’s happening?!” Ignis was panicked. He placed his hand on Aurora’s arm only to end up feeling the warm and sticky liquid, immediately recoiling. “Bug?”

Prompto fell to his knees and tried to get Aurora to stop scratching but it was no use. She kept mumbling about how she couldn’t help them, she deserved this, she couldn’t do anything right, why was she allowed to live while others couldn’t? Her eyes were glazed over as she continued her mumbling. 

“What’s going on?” Gladio was back at the scene and his eyes widened at the state Aurora was in. “Shit, we need to take her to a med bay or something.” He scooped her up into his arms and made his way to the other end of the cart.

  
  


A half hour went by as Gladio waited outside of the med cart. Once she emerged, she didn’t even bother looking at him, averting her gaze as she turned and walked back to the cart the others were in. 

The medic stepped out to watch her leave. “How is she?” Gladio asked him. 

“As stable as she can be, mentally.” The medic sighed. “Physically, she should be fine. We stitched up the wound and bandaged her arm. She said she’s the ‘solar wind’ and can heal her own wounds but I’d help her put new bandages on every other day.”

“Thanks. That’s Aurora Denond, she’s a famous healer so she’s right about being able to heal her own wounds,” Gladio explained with a small smile. The medic sucked in air through gritted teeth at the mention of her name. Gladio caught this and raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”

“Uh,” The medic shifted. “Well, the Denond family, while famous for their healing, is also famous for...other things.”

“Like what?” Gladio urged. He could see the medic was reluctant to tell him so he lied, “I’m helping keep her in check while we travel, any information on her is appreciated.”

The medic sighed before speaking. “Post traumatic stress syndrome. Severe and mostly untreated for unknown reasons,” they replied simply. “Her files are crazy. She’s a miracle worker one day and an absolute mess the other. Her mother was the same. About 30 years ago she went nuts--er, she had an extreme mental reaction and nearly killed the group she was travelling with.”

“Mother…?” Gladio mumbled. Then he remembered that Aurora had been pretending to be her own mother to keep others from knowing she didn’t age. “Uh, okay. Thanks for the info. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Please do,” the medic nodded. “Now knowing who she is, it worries me that something triggered this reaction. It hasn’t happened for 12 years. Well, it hasn’t been documented, at least.”

“What happened 12 years ago?”

“She was one of the medics attempting to heal the young prince Noctis from a tragic accident. They were unsuccessful and Marshal Cor Leonis found her later in a hallway bleeding out much the same as you witnessed earlier.” The medic paused for a moment. “It’s incredible that she looks so young.”

“Runs in the family,” Gladio stated, offering his hand. “Thanks for the info.”

The medic took his hand and shook it. “You’re welcome. Take care of her, please.”

“Will do,” Gladio nodded before walking back to the previous cart. 

Once Gladio found the others, he walked right up to Aurora and smacked in her the back of the head. “Ow! What the actual fuck, Gladio?” She cried as she rubbed the back of her head. 

“Did you just hit her?” Ignis was appalled. 

“He did,” Prompto answered.

“Why do you keep so many secrets, huh?” He spat. “Are we just not good enough to know these things about you?”

“What are you talking about?” She got up from her seat beside Ignis to fully face the tattooed man, mirroring the situation with Noctis half an hour earlier. 

“The medic over there told me you have a serious case of untreated PTSD,” he motioned his head toward the cart with the medic. “ _ Untreated _ . Care to explain why that wasn’t important enough to tell us or why you’re not trying to fix this?”

“Because it’s none of your fucking business what goes on in my head, Gladio,” Aurora crossed her arms over her chest. Suddenly feeling how sensitive her boobs were, she lowered her crossed arms so they weren’t touching them. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“Then how do you explain the little episode you just had?”

“Well, maybe if you didn’t talk about getting over the death of a loved one like it was getting over spilled milk I wouldn’t have had such a terrible reaction!!” Aurora yelled, feeling the eyes of the other passengers on her. 

“If you had told us about your mental state we could’ve helped you.”

“Oh, like how you’re helping Noct?” Aurora challenged. “Yeah, I think I can do without any of your ‘help’, thanks.”

“That’s different.”

“Is it!?” Aurora could feel tears welling in her eyes. “I’ve been grieving over the death of Varin for longer than I can remember. You don’t just ‘get over it’, you live with it. I’ve had multiple people I love die in front of me. I will never ‘get over it’. How DARE you even say that to Noctis!”

“Hey--”

She cut him off, showcasing her bandaged arm. “Remember this scar? I said I didn’t remember where I got it. I lied to you,” she placed her hand over the wound. “This is my shame, my grief, and my pain all wrapped into one disgusting package. I did this, and continue to do this, to myself because I have to live this--this grief every day of my life. Every ‘what if’, every ‘it should have been me’, every ‘I couldn’t save them’, is right here. Taunting me.”

"... I'm sorry."

"I don't want your fucking apologies, Gladio. I want you to be better," she placed a hand on her hip. "Isn't that why you ditched us in the first place? So you could do something about that inferiority complex of yours?"

"Watch it, mental case, you have no right to pick at any imperfections I have," Gladio's voice was a low growl. 

"Mental case," Aurora repeated to herself with a small laugh. "Like I haven't heard that one before. In fact, your father was the one who called me that. Now look where he is. He's fucking dead!" 

Triggered by her words, Gladio reeled back and decked Aurora in the face hard enough that she fell back onto the floor of the train cart. The eyes of the other passengers followed her as she fell but no one helped her to her feet, all of them scared of moving lest they get dragged into the drama. 

"Gladio!" Ignis stood and placed a hand on Gladio’s shoulder.

Aurora struggled to her feet and rolled her shoulder as blood dripped from her nose. Her eyes tearing up uncontrollably. She and Gladio stared at each other for what seemed like forever before the healer turned on her heel and headed for the cart next door with the personal rooms.

  
  


Aurora sat on the bed in the room as she stared at her bandaged arm. If she was being honest, she hadn’t even noticed she caused herself so much harm until she was brought into the emergency room, let alone the amount of pain she should have been feeling. She also got punched in the nose. Hard. Why couldn’t she feel it? She was numb. Very numb. The days had all molded together, time had no meaning. What day was it? Tuesday? She didn’t care.

She placed a hand over the wound and closed her eyes before beginning to hum a low tune. The vibrations of her voice set off her magic and healed her wound. She did the same with her nose, repositioning it with a loud groan from the pain before healing it with a low hum from the back of her throat. Thank the gods she could still feel at least  _ something _ . The blood stopped and the pain lessened but the fact that Gladio actually punched her stung worse than anything else she had endured that day.

She then reached for her phone and turned it on, looking at herself in the selfie mode of her camera. Her eyes were already starting to bruise from the bludgeoning her nose was subjected to. She would have two black eyes by the morning. 

Shifting uncomfortably, Aurora repositioned the leather jacket she was wearing. She was given clothes from the lost and found when her other clothes had been soaked in blood. The jacket should have fit her but it felt...tight. She unzipped it and poked her belly. “Why am I so bloated?” she asked herself. “Or am I just getting chubby?”

It wouldn’t surprise her if she was getting chubby. She had been seeking the comfort of sugar and carbs since Ignis went blind. She was always eating chips or cookies and trying to use them instead of scratching at her arm...until her episode earlier, that is.

“Aurora!” The healer heard her love calling for her in the hall of the cart. She got up from the bed she was sitting in and opened the door to find Ignis knocking on every door and calling her name. “Aurora!”

“I’m here, Ignis,” she sighed, taking his hand and guiding him into her room. She closed the door behind her. “Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?”

Without a word, Ignis pulled Aurora into a hug. She could feel him crying as his shoulders shook. “I love you,” his voice was shaky. “And I want you to be able to tell me anything.”

“I love you, too,” she rubbed his back in a soothing manner. “There’s just so much of me that’s scary and ugly. I don’t want you to have to handle all of my baggage. Not when you have so much of your own troubles to deal with.”

He backed away from the embrace to place his forehead against hers, “I can handle it.”

“Ignis--”

“Bug, please,” more tears. “Let me in.”

It was Aurora’s turn to cry. Tears flowed freely as she brought Ignis in for a chaste kiss. “I will,” she whispered. “Not all at once, but I will. I’ve been so distant with others for so long that it’s hard to get close again.”

“I want you to be comfortable enough around me...that you can relax and let your guard down,” he fumbled to find the right place but was able to find her face and caress her cheek. “I-I know my vision impairment has halted any progress we’ve been making as a couple...but…”

“Oh, Crista,” Aurora pulled him in for another kiss. Ignis had let out a pathetic whine. It was the first time in weeks he had heard her use that nickname. He missed it. “Don’t worry about us. We’re fine.”

“It doesn’t feel that way…”

“Times are rough right now. I’m… still processing,” she explained. “We all are.”

“Right...you’re right,” Ignis nodded in agreement pulling Aurora into another hug. He hugged her tight enough that her chest started to feel very uncomfortable. She grunted lowly, pulling away from him. Ignis noticed this. “Are you alright, darling?”

“Yeah, my chest just hurts,” she tried massaging her boobs but it only made it worse. “Must be my time of the month...hey, am I getting fat?”

He blinked. “Pardon?”

She brought his hands to her waist. “Do I feel like I’m putting on weight?”

“No?” He squished her sides. “Maybe a little? I honestly don’t care what you look like.”

“Please don’t tell me that was a blind joke,” Aurora groaned. 

He managed to huff a laugh, “It wasn’t. But you really should stop snacking in the middle of the night. It’s not healthy to go the whole day without eating then get snacks when you think I’m not listening.”

“Oh no, you can hear that?” Aurora grimaced at being caught. 

“Every night,” the advisor smiled warmly before going back to a stern look. “How is your arm and nose? Prompto told me you scratched a sizeable hole into your arm and Gladio later punched you during your argument.”

“Oh, they’re fine. I’m fine. Peachy keen, jellybean,” she reassured him. Ignis laughed softly. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just…” Ignis slipped his arms around her waist. “This is nice. It’s the most normal you’ve been in weeks. Talking about getting chubby and saying ridiculous things like ‘peachy keen’.”

“Well, it’s silly when  _ you _ say it,” Aurora snorted.

“It’s the accent,” he joked. 

She kissed him. “We should probably head back. Prompto is probably worried.”

The train was beginning to halt at the next stop. The one they needed to get off at to find the next royal arm. 

Aurora started to feel even worse than she had been earlier. Nauseous. Did she eat any onions? No, she hadn’t eaten any in months. She groaned, praying she wasn’t getting the flu.

As the group exited the train, Aurora felt the biggest wave of nausea she had ever experienced. With little time to react to the extremely sudden turn in her stomach, she shuffled away from the boys, hoping they wouldn't notice. She needed to find somewhere the others wouldn’t see or hear. 

She managed to run behind some crates before she threw up. 

Wiping her mouth of the horrible remains of whatever she ate prior, Aurora walked over to a small vendor stall where an old woman greeted her with a kind smile. She smiled back but her eyes remained the same, half lidded and tired. 

“You look absolutely wrecked, dear,” the old woman commented. Aurora was taken about by how blunt the woman was.

“Uh, yeah,” Aurora laughed nervously, combing her brain for any other excuse other than 'my friends and I are responsible for the fate of the world, everything sucks, my boyfriend is blind, and I just got punched in the face by my best friend'. “I, uh, I get motion sickness and accidentally walked into a door frame. Trains are the worst.”

“Oh, you poor dear. Perhaps you should have some tea,” she offered. “It does the body good.”

“That sounds lovely, thank you,” Aurora tried another smile but knew by the woman’s expression that it didn’t go so well.

She noticed a few curious items for sale while the vendor was fixing her some tea, namely a pregnancy test.  _ What if... _ She stared at it for what seemed like hours before taking it in her hands, along with a couple bags of gummy moogles, and held it up. 

“I’d like this please,” she tried her best smile once again, this time kinda pulling it off.

The old woman smiled back with a giggle. “Trying for a baby, are we?”

“...yeah.” Aurora didn’t know what else to say so she said yes to seem normal and not like this was potentially the worst timing in history.

“Who’s the lucky man?” The old woman leaned it, ready for gossip.

“Uh,” Aurora looked around and saw Ignis sitting on a bench not far from them. “The man with the sunglasses and cane over there.”

“Ooohhoho,” the woman giggled, handing Aurora the cup of tea and the goods she bought. “Quite the looker. That child should be absolutely beautiful. I wish you two all the best.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Aurora bowed, her hands too full to shake the woman’s hand, before trotting off to where Ignis was sitting. “Hey, I got some gummy moogles. You want some?”

“More snacks?” Ignis chided in a teasing manner.

“Shush and eat,” Aurora huffed, sliding a little orange gummy moogle between his lips. 

He chewed it thoughtfully, savouring the flavour. “May I have a red one?”

Aurora giggled, “Sure.” She put a red gummy at his lips, which he happily ate.

“What’s this?” Ignis asked, feeling around the bag of goods Aurora had just bought. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment as he pulled out the box with the pregnancy test. 

“Oh, that’s just a toothbrush,” she lied. “I needed a new one. Speaking of which, I should go put this with the rest of my things. I’ll be right back.”

“Be safe,” Ignis waved as she got up.

“I will. Keep those gummies company while I’m gone, okay?”

“Indeed,” he rummaged through the bag and popped another one in his mouth. He grimaced. “Bleh. Grape. What an abomination of a flavour.” He continued to eat the gummies anyway, hoping to pick up a better flavour.

  
  


The healer paced back and forth in front of the bathroom for a while, her thoughts racing. She hadn't even entered the room yet and she was already nervous. What if she pees on the stick wrong? What if it really was just the flu? Did she get some sort of disease in Altissia? Oh gods. She felt sick again.

She steeled her resolve and entered the bathroom. “How does this thing even work?” She asked herself as she sat on the toilet and read the instructions. The instruction paper was nearly as big as a newspaper and had writing on both sides. She sighed with relief when she saw the other side was the same set of instructions but in Japanese. “Gods, it’s like a fucking novel. How many ways are they going to tell me how to pee on a damn stick?”

Following the instructions wasn’t so hard. Step one: Pee on the stick. Step two: wait five minutes until the results show up. One line means you’re not pregnant, two lines mean you’re pregnant.

She began the faint motion of scratching at her arm but stopped with a loud grunt. “No, no, no! No scratching! You wanted to be better. Eat the gummy moogles, don’t scratch,” she scolded herself, taking a handful of gummy moogles from her second bag and stuffing them in her mouth.

While she was chewing, she uncapped the pregnancy test with her teeth. “Pahtooie!” She spit the cap into a nearby garbage can then turned to down the rest of her tea. “Okay, here we go.”

While some may romanticise the process in which a woman finds out that she is pregnant, the reality of it is that it ends up with a feeling of dread in half of the results whether you wanted to be pregnant or not. Aurora was feeling both of those emotions at the same time and, frankly, she would rather have Gladio punch her in the face again than have to feel the way she was feeling. But there she was, peeing on a stick in the derailed train cart pit stop while she chewed on the half dissolved sugary mass of mush in her mouth. It sucked.

After trying to make herself look decent, she emerged from the bathroom, wiping the corner of her mouth of the water she used to wash her face. The cold water felt good on her skin after she had thrown up once she was finished marking her territory on the plastic stick. It was very colourful because of the gummy moogles.

She wasn’t paying attention and nearly walked into Prompto.

“Rory?” Prompto placed his hands in front of him to keep Aurora from walking right into him. She was pale. “Oh boy, did you eat onions again?”

“No,” she replied simply. 

Prompto narrowed his eyes at her, putting on his best thinking face. He looked down at her hand that was holding the little white stick for a moment before going back to her face. His eyes widened, “ARE YOU PREG--” Aurora covered his mouth.

“SHHH!” She hissed. She looked around the cart and couldn’t see anyone else. “I don’t know if I am. I’m still waiting for the results...but if it’s true this is a terrible time for it to happen and I need to keep it under wraps. Can you do that for me?”

Prompto nodded furiously before Aurora lifted her hand from his mouth. “Is...is it ready yet?” He asked quietly. 

They both looked down as Aurora brought the test up to read.

_ Two lines _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Sad Boy Hours (TM) continue :(


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions are hard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!  
> This chapter contains explicit sexual content and mentions of suicide

_ Two lines _

“What does it mean?” Prompto looked back up at Aurora. “What do those lines mean?”

“It’s...it’s positive,” she couldn’t control the tears that flowed down her cheeks or the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. 

Prompto smiled back, bringing her into a tearful hug. “You’re gonna be a mama, Rory.”

“I’m gonna be a mama,” Aurora sobbed into Prompto’s shoulder. “I’m actually pregnant. I can’t believe it.”

“Can I be an uncle?” Prompto asked as they parted. His eyes sparkled with both tears and excitement. 

“Of course, Prom,” Aurora cupped his face, affectionately running her thumbs along his freckled cheeks. “You are a very dear friend to me. Even if I’ve only known you for a few months, all of you are very special to me.”

“H-hey now, you’re gonna make me c-cry,” Prompto sobbed.

“What are you guys doing?”

Aurora and Prompto turned to see Noctis staring at them with a chocobo chick under each arm and another dancing around his feet. Peculiar. 

“We’re just, uh, being sad,” Prompto stated. “Everything is very sad right now.”

Once Noctis sulked away with chocobo chicks in tow, Prompto slipped his arms around Aurora’s waist, lifting and twirling her around. “You’re pregnant!!” He cheered.

“I’m pregnant!” Aurora cheered with him, wrapping her arms around him as he continued to twirl. 

“Iggy’s gonna be so happy!” The blonde exclaimed. And just like that Aurora’s dread came flooding back. She wiggled out of Prompto’s grasp and looked away. “What’s wrong?”

“He can’t know,” she stated.

“What!? Why not? He’s the father!” Prompto tried to reason but he went quiet for a moment. “...he  _ is _ the father, isn’t he?” Aurora punched him in the arm. “Yowch!” 

“Of course he is!” She scolded. 

“Alright, alright,” Prompto raised his hands defensively. “Then why don’t you want him to know just yet? Out of everyone, he should be the one to know, not me.”

“You found out by accident,” Aurora rolled her eyes as she continued. “I just...everything is so awful right now. Do I really want to bring this news to everyone at a time like this? Gladio literally punched me!”

“You yelled at him about his dad being dead.”

“And he was yelling at Noct to get over the death of his fiancé, you reap what you sow,” Aurora crossed her arms with a huff. Prompto gave her a look. “Okay, I was a little out of line but so was he. We’re all on edge.”

“Yeah, things are crazy right now,” Prompto scratched the back of his head with a nervous laugh. “So, how long are you gonna keep this a secret? Until you have the baby?”

“Very funny,” she sneered. “I’ll keep it a secret for as long as I can. Until things start to cool down. In the meantime, you need to keep your mouth shut, got it?”

Prompto made a motion to zip his mouth shut and throw away the key. “Locked away, Rory!”

Aurora smiled warmly. “Gods...I’m pregnant,” her smile faded and was replaced with panic. “Oh gods...fuck, I’m  _ pregnant _ .”

“Uh...yeah?” Prompto nodded, confused at the sudden panic in her voice.

“Fuck. Oh no. Ignis is going to be a dad! He’s too young! What have I done? I’ve ruined his life,” Aurora began pacing around the cart, spewing whatever anxieties came to mind. “He can’t take care of a baby, he lost his vision!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Prompto tried to calm her down. “It’s not like you meant for this to happen. Don’t worry about it. Condoms don’t always work.”

“Condoms…” Aurora repeated, remembering the very unprotected sex her and Ignis were having the entire time. 

“...you’ve been using condoms, right?”

“Um.”

“Rory!” Prompto clutched his head in a panic. “Was he at least pulling out?”

“Um…”

“ _ Rory _ .”

“Hey! Look. I kinda forgot you needed those to prevent pregnancy, okay? I’ve had a complicated relationship with my uterus!” She shrugged. “It was only up until recently that I’ve been fertile again! I haven’t had to worry about getting pregnant for centuries!”

“Wow that just sounds like excuses to me,” Prompto sucked air through his teeth harshly, shrugging playfully. “I mean, you let the guy creampie you for months and you don’t think you’re gonna--ow!” He rubbed the arm Aurora smacked.

“Don’t lecture me on sex,” she scolded. “Contrary to what you are currently thinking, I know more than a  _ virgin _ .”

“Ah! My little virgin heart!” He feigned heartbreak, planting a hand over his heart dramatically. Aurora rolled her eyes at his antics but a smile crept its way to the corners of her mouth. “Well, bad planning aside, this is a big step for you guys and I’ll be happy to help in any way I can.”

“Thank you, Prom,” she said, pulling him into a hug. 

  
  


“I’m back!” Aurora called as she sat beside Ignis on the bench she had left him on.

“That took an awfully long time to put a toothbrush away,” he commented, still mindlessly eating the gummy moogles. 

“Sorry, I got sidetracked by Prompto,” Aurora said as she leaned into him. “Also Noct is running around chasing chocobo chicks.”

Ignis chuckled. “Strange.”

“That’s what I said,” she smiled. The sun was beginning to set and Aurora knew they wouldn’t be going down to get the royal arm like they had planned until morning. “Hey, why don’t we turn in for the night? That derailed cart thing was repurposed into some kind of motel.”

“Very well,” Ignis reached for his cane before getting up from the bench. “Where’s Noct? Is he alright?”

Aurora glanced over at a figure in the distance still trying to catch chocobo chicks. “He’s fine,” she replied simply. “Hey, did you eat all of my gummies?”

“You shouldn’t have left them with me,” he shrugged as he took the last gummy from the bag. He was about to eat it but Aurora snatched it from his hand and popped it in her mouth. “Ah--Bug!!”

“Too bad you couldn’t see that coming,” she joked. 

Ignis snorted a pseudo laugh before putting her in a headlock and digging his knuckles into her scalp. “Rascal.”

“Aaaahhh!! I’m still not sorry!” She cried as she wiggled out of his grasp. He continued to giggle to himself as she fixed her hair. “Oh, har, har, you think you’re so funny.”

“I do, in fact,” he hummed. He reached out to her and Aurora met him halfway, nuzzling her face into his palm. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, “Being funny is grand but it’s much better when I have such a wonderful partner to laugh along with me for the rest of my days.”

The look of content on his face alone could have made Aurora cry but he had to couple it with those  _ words. _ Not to mention her hormones were going wild and the mere thought of Ignis holding their baby had her wanting to sob and fuck him into oblivion at the same time. She sniffed back a few tears but Ignis could still tell she was distressed and thumbed under her eye to wipe the stray tears away. “Did I say something wrong?” He asked, worried he said too much.

Aurora laughed, sniffing again. “Gods, no,” she hugged him, feeling the low drum of his heartbeat. She could have stayed like that forever, wrapped in his arms, but she could hear the old merchant woman giggling in the background and decided somewhere more private was better. “Come on, let’s go.”

She took his hand and led him to the cart.

Once the door to the room was close, she pushed Ignis against the wall before planting a searing kiss to his parted lips. He pulled back in surprise but immediately went back in for another kiss, moaning deeply into her mouth. All the stresses of the day melted away as a warm tingling feeling overtook their senses, one they hadn’t felt in weeks. 

“What’s gotten into you lately?” He asked, his breath ghosting over her lips before diving back in.

“I’m just...I’m so grateful for you,” she whispered between kisses. “I want to show you how much you mean to me.” She began unbuckling his belt but he stopped her. 

“Aurora…” Ignis let his head fall onto Aurora’s shoulder. “I’m...I’m not worthy of your touch.”

Her breath caught in her throat for a moment at his sudden bout of self deprivation. “Ignis, you will always be worthy,” she whispered as she pushed him further against the wall. “Let me do this for you.” She continued to unbuckle his belt, bringing his slacks and boxer briefs with her as she slid down to her knees. 

He was already hard and throbbing with interest. Aurora couldn’t help but smirk as she took his cock in her hand, massaging the velvet tip with her thumb, knowing she was the one to make him feel this way. “Wow,” she breathed before taking him in her mouth.

Ignis gasped at the sudden intense sensation, throwing his head back to hit the wall. Aurora moaned around his cock as he grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled hard. She used her hand to pleasure the areas she couldn’t quite reach. He was so big she couldn’t possibly get the whole thing in her mouth.

Unless…

She took a deep breath before opening her throat and pushing him further in.  _ Nope _ . She pulled back before her gag reflexes kicked it. Maybe another day. 

“Fuck, you’re so big,” she whined before sliding the flat of her tongue from the base to the tip. “I’ll have to keep practicing if I want to take the whole thing down my throat.”

“Y-you’re not obligated to…” Ignis trailed off as Aurora swirled her tongue around his tip, replacing his words with a breathy moan. 

“You say that like it wasn’t my idea in the first place. Why wouldn’t I want to pleasure the man who gave me everything?” she teased before taking him into her mouth again.

Ignis bit his lip to prevent himself from moaning any louder than he already had previously. Being unable to look down at his love sucking him off like he used to was disappointing but the way she glided her tongue up his length and moved it so intricately more than made up for it. 

A sudden urge to take his lover washed over him and he pushed her away, a string of saliva still connecting her to his cock. “What’s wrong?” she asked as she wiped her mouth. 

“Get up,” he demanded. “I need to have you.”

She shivered at his demanding tone, feeling the heat pool between her legs. “Yes sir.”

He pushed her against the door and lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. “Do you think you can keep quiet?” he asked, prodding at her entrance. 

“Mhm,” she nodded, biting her lip in anticipation. 

“Good girl,” he purred before thrusting all the way into her. Aurora let out a strangled sob as she tried her best not to scream his name for the whole cart to hear. While it was only a repurposed train cart, there were still people mulling about. It got even harder to keep quiet with each thrust, her moans growing louder and louder. Ignis trailed his thumb over her lower lip. “Hush, kitten.”

“But you feel so good,” she whined, tightening her legs around his hips to feel him even deeper inside of her. 

He let out a ragged breath as Aurora rolled her hips into him with a needy whine. Since he wasn’t able to see her anymore, the sounds she made just enticed him more. “Kitten…” he warned. 

“Please,” she whispered into his ear, making the hairs at the back of his neck stand up. “Fuck me hard.” He groaned as her words made his whole body shiver. Shifting her weight to a better angle, he began pounding into her as hard as he could. He pressed his lips against hers, swallowing her cries of pleasure as he slid his tongue into her mouth. She tasted sweet, like the gummy she had stolen from him earlier.

If no one could hear their moans of pleasure, they would surely hear the door rattling. And that’s exactly what Prompto heard when he entered the derailed cart. Curious, he walked further in to find the source of the strange rattling sound until he came to the door in the middle of the cart. 

He was about to reach for the handle when he heard Aurora’s voice. “Oh fuck. Ignis...” she moaned.

“Yeep,” Prompto covered his mouth as he felt his whole body immediately start sweating. Rattled, he smoothed out his clothes and turned away from the door. “Wow. I’m suddenly super hungry. Time to be anywhere but here,” he mumbled to himself as he quickly shuffled into the dining cart, attempting to ignore the tightness in his pants. 

“Mmm, what was that?” Aurora thought she heard a noise from the other end of the door. 

“Perhaps we have an audience?” Ignis smirked as he slowed his pace for a moment. “Stay quiet unless you want them to hear exactly what you sound like as I give you a baby.”

That sent her over the edge. Even if he had no idea she was already pregnant with his baby, even if it was just bedroom banter in favour of her biggest kink, hearing him whisper such things in her ear had her cumming hard as she screamed his name. She didn’t care anymore, she wanted the whole world to know who her lover was, who it was that finally gave her everything she had wanted. 

“Nhg!” He bit down on her shoulder as he finished inside of her, hips slowing to a shallow thrust before stopping completely.

“I love you, Ignis,” Aurora breathed.

“I love you, Aurora,” He smiled, stealing a kiss. “No matter how loud you are.”

Aurora giggled, holding him close.

  
  


Aurora looked down at the wreck that was Fodina Mine they would soon be traversing. Why a king of Lucis would have his royal arm hidden in Cartanica, she’ll never understand. She could see someone walk up beside her in her peripheral. The black hair had her guess it was Noctis but she paid him no mind, keeping to her thoughts until she heard him speak.

“Does it ever stop hurting?” He asked with a quiet desperation. Slowly, Aurora looked over at him as he clutched his chest. “This...This  _ pain _ I feel weighing down my chest.”

She let out a deep breath and shook her head. “It dulls over time but the painful reality of grief is that it never truly goes away.” She turned to face him, fixing a few stray hairs on his head. “The nightmares will lessen and you’ll find yourself thinking about them only every few days but it’ll still be there.”

Noctis rested his head on Aurora’s shoulder and let out a strangled groan. “H-how do you do it? How do you keep on going?”

She exhaled through her nose and brought him closer, stroking his hair. “I don’t think it’s wise to ask me how, seeing as I have been willing to die for years now.”

“Yet you live,” he lifted his head from her shoulder and looked her in the eye. “What was keeping you here?”

“Lots of things. The people that cared about me, and I them, the small hope that I would find my soulmate, happenstance, small miracles that my reckless behaviour didn’t manage to kill me, I could go on,” Aurora shrugged. “I know it’s cliché to say they wouldn’t have wanted you to mope for the rest of your life so I won’t say it.”

“You literally just did-”

“But!” She cut him off. “What I will say is that death is all around us. It affects everyone, everyday. But today you are still alive. What you choose to do with your life is completely up to you and no one else, so do with it what you will, Your Majesty.”

“It’s really not…”

“Well, you can either keel over and let death consume you or you can try your hand at saving the world,” Aurora shrugged. “I can’t tell you what to do. Only thing I can do is tell you that I understand what you’re going through, I love you, and I’m here for you.” 

Noctis cracked a small smile. “Thank you.”

It wasn’t long into their trek into the mine that Aurora began feeling queasy again. She had purchased some medicines from the old merchant lady to keep her nausea at bay but it still flared up from time to time. The mine was much more of a bog. Open air, water they had to wade through more often than not, a giant tree in the middle of the mine with the roots consuming the entire place, all the ups and downs and twists and turns, it was all making her sick. The perpetual feeling of being wet also didn’t help.

Once the group sat at a haven to rest, she thought it to be the perfect opportunity to sneak off and relieve herself of the nausea. 

“I need some air, I’ll be right back,” Aurora took off in a hurry.

“I feel as though she’s been avoiding me since we got down here,” Ignis sighed as he listened to her splashing footsteps getting quieter and quieter. 

“She’s not avoiding you, Igster,” Prompto pat Ignis on the back reassuringly. “She’s just a bit stressed. We all are.”

“Well, she shouldn’t be going off alone like that when the group needs her,” Gladio mumbled from the other end of the haven. Prompto narrowed his eyes for a moment before his expression softened.

“I’m gonna go find her,” He said quietly before lightly jogging in the direction Aurora had gone. It didn’t take him long to find her, she was retching near one of the large tree roots. “Hey, Rory, you doing okay?”

The healer threw up in response. Prompto couldn’t help but gag a little at the sounds she was making. “I’m...uhg, I’m f-fine,” Aurora spit the bile out of her mouth and turned to Prompto. “Do I look suspicious sneaking off like this?”

“Yeah, you kinda do,” Prompto crossed his arms. “Iggy thinks you’ve been avoiding him since this morning.”

“Oh no,” Aurora ran her hands through her hair. “What do I do?”

“You could tell him you’re pregnant?” It was more of a meek question than an actual suggestion as Prompto’s voice got higher and his head sunk until his shoulders, afraid of what Aurora would say.

Aurora noticed this and tried to respond as calmly as she could. “We already talked about this. I can’t tell him yet. This isn’t a good time. I don’t need him doting on me when he should be focusing on other things.”

“...Do you think it’ll be a boy or a girl?”

Aurora was surprised by the question but Prompto’s smile made her think he was trying to lighten the mood. “I don’t know...what do you think?”

“That’s a tough one,” Prompto tapped his chin in thought. “I can see you with a boy but Iggy with a girl.”

“You think?” She smiled, placing a hand over her lower abdomen. “What am I gonna do if it’s twins?”

“You’ll have us,” Prompto reassured her. “And You’ll have uncle Prompto to take lots of pictures!”

They met up with the others again and started to make their way to the large tree. Aurora thought she was doing well, helping Ignis when he needed it, taking out monsters with Noctis, and avoiding trouble with Gladio. But her confidence didn’t last long as the nausea came flooding back with a vengeance. 

“Oh no…” she mumbled. Prompto caught this and gave her a sympathetic look.

“You alright? Wanna take a break?” He offered.

“N-no, it’s fine.”

“C’mon. Break time. Break time!” He urged. 

“No, no,” she declined his offer again. “You guys keep going, I’ll just be a second, okay?”

She got nearly 20 feet before she heard a voice bellowing behind her. “Hey!!” Gladio yelled.

The healer stopped, wishing she could have just ignored the hulking man, and reluctantly turned around. She was met with the shield scowling at her. “What do you want?” She sneered. Gladio didn’t answer right away so she huffed and turned to continue walking. “If you have nothing to say then you guys keep going. I’ll catch up.”

“Why are you always sneaking off, huh? Why can’t you be here for the one who needs you most? Do you love him or not?” Gladio bellowed. Aurora stopped walking, toughing out the nauseous feeling caught in her throat, and turned back to Gladio with a look that only two others had seen before. One was dead and the other was Ardyn. Prompto felt his blood go cold as he watched the scene play out.

“What did you say?” Her voice was nearly a whisper.

“We gotta stick together like a goddamn team!” Gladio threw his hands up. “Not go fucking off doing whatever you think is better than being here with us. It’s so easy for you to leave your friends and family behind, huh? It’s no wonder your own daughter wants nothing to do with you!”

“Oh no…” Prompto began backing away, keeping Ignis close.

Aurora began to shake. Whether it was out of anger or trauma, she had no idea. “Say that again,” she challenged, a dagger slipping into her hand. 

“You waited over 200 years for your soulmate and once he’s finally here you practically ignore him, what the hell is wrong with you? If you keep this up then you really are a terrible friend and mother--GAH!” Gladio was cut off by a dagger embedding itself into his right shoulder. 

“What’s happening?” Ignis asked, trying to move forward but Prompto kept him a safe distance away from the others.

“They’re fighting,” Prompto replied with a small voice. Ignis tried moving towards the frey again but Prompto held him in place. “Iggy, no, you’ll get hurt.”

“What the hell, Rore?” Gladio ripped the dagger from his shoulder, only to have a second one sink itself into the same spot. 

“What’s wrong with me? You wanna know  _ what’s wrong with me _ !?” Aurora yelled out to Gladio as she readied her bow, making her way closer to him. “You outed my mental state to everyone on the train!” She let an arrow fly and shot Gladio in the arm, continuing to walk forward and taking another arrow from the quiver on her back. “You are berating everyone else about grieving but guess what? You are, too!!” Another arrow. “Everyone is skirting around the fact that Ignis lost his vision. What do you think I’ve been doing these past few weeks? Sitting around twiddling my thumbs? No! I’ve been taking care of him and using every ounce of energy I have to try getting his vision back! And on top of everything, I’m...I’m...GAH!!” She shot him with another arrow just before both Prompto and Noctis held her back, taking her bow away. 

“Calm down!” Noctis cried, throwing the bow a short distance away. He looked over at Gladio, who was kneeling in the shallow water, breathing heavily. His body was littered with arrows. “Uhg, I gotta go help him.”

“I got her,” Prompto reassured him as the raven haired prince reluctantly waded his way to the wounded shield. “You need to calm down. It’s not good for you to be like this.”

“Says who?” Aurora sneered as she writhed in his grasp.

“Says this,” his voice was a harsh whisper as he snaked his hand around her waist to her lower abdomen, pretending to use the action as a way to keep her steady. Aurora immediately calmed down, holding back a sob as she sunk her weight into the younger man. “Please stop fighting...if not for us then for  _ them _ . Okay?”

Aurora took a few deep breaths before groaning. “Fine. Just let me go so I can heal him.”

“Promise me you won’t attack him.”

“I swear on my unborn child,” she mumbled. There was hesitation at first but Prompto finally let her go. She looked back at him with a weak smile before wading to Gladio. The shield practically snarled when she approached. “Relax, I’m going to heal you.”

She knelt down beside him and ripped an arrow out of his shoulder. Gladio growled, “Nhg! You could be a little more gentle.”

“Don’t be a pussy,” Aurora mumbled, ripping another arrow from his person. She unceremoniously strummed a few strings on her lyre and his wounds began to mend. She had made sure she didn’t hit any vital organs but wanted to make him hurt, so a few arrows in non vital areas did the trick. 

“I told this to Ignis when we met and now I’m going to tell you,” Aurora grumbled lowly, ripping the last arrow from Gladio’s body. “Do not judge how I grieve. Do not judge how ANYONE grieves. Did you learn nothing from when I yelled at you on the train?” 

Gladio was silent as he stared at the healer as she rose to her feet. He was shocked more than anything that she attacked him like that. Sensing this, Aurora spoke again. “That’s for my black eyes,” she pointed to the bruising around her nose and eyes. “I’ll give you some time to cool off.” She began wading through the water away from the group.

“Yeah, that’s right. Leave,” Gladio spat. “Why don’t you just do what you’re best at and abandon us? Huh?”

“Maybe I will!!” Aurora screamed before turning and storming off.

“Fucking Gladio,” Aurora grumbled once she was far enough away. “He has no idea what I’ve been through. Maybe he’d understand if he was stranded in a different dimension and…” Aurora stopped when she entered a strangely open area. She turned the corner and saw something she couldn’t quite place. 

“Eggs?” She pondered, walking closer to the strange sacks that were suspended at the base of the large tree. She suppressed a gag. “Gross.”

She could hear something slowly rise up from the water behind her, a large shadow looming over her. Afraid, Aurora turned around to see a large plant monster, its large mouth ready to consume her.

  
  


“I want you to apologise,” Ignis said sternly as he tried to follow Gladio through the bog. 

“Why am I the one who always has to fucking apologise?” Gladio growled in response. “I ain’t the one who has a track record of fuckin’ off never to be seen again.”

“I’m sure she’s changed,” Prompto offered. He fell silent again when Gladio shot him a look. 

“You said it yourself, she has mental issues she has yet to deal with,” Ignis said, almost tripping on a stray tree root. Prompto helped him get back to his feet.

“She should have been dealing with that instead of ignoring it.”

“While I’m inclined to agree with you, she’s not perfect and neither are you,” Ignis sighed. “When I first met her, she was in the middle of killing herself and I had no idea. She put everything aside to help me.”

“She came this far with us, didn’t she?” Noctis added after a long bout of silence. 

“Oh, are we on speaking terms again?” Gladio sneered. 

The group heard a loud scream not far from them. 

“Aurora?” Ignis perked up in a panic. 

“It came from over there!” Gladio said as he began running to the source of the cry. He turned to the others as he continued to run. “Help Iggy and meet me down there!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are in a better mood than I am. Stay safe, have a good week.


End file.
